Johnny Depp's directorial debut bombed so badly, he made sure it never released in America
Johnny Depp, who has had an illustrious career playing iconic characters, like Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka, has mostly enjoyed being in front of the camera. However, the highly acclaimed actor also likes taking the director's chair. While Depp's second directorial flick, 'Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness,' debuted on the silver screen last year and did well, very few are aware of his first directorial venture, which not only failed to impress critics but was barred from theatrical release in the United States by Depp himself.
Based on Gregory McDonald’s novel of the same name, Depp's directorial debut, 'The Brave,' was made in 1997 and marked the actor's ambitious directorial debut. However, not all new things yield great results, as the experience proved to be far more challenging than Depp anticipated, according to FandomWire. Depp— who not only directed the film but also starred in it alongside the legendary Marlon Brando— was forced to cancel the release of the movie in the US.
The Western drama flick—which was set against the backdrop of a struggling man trying to make ends meet for his family— was met with a cold reception when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The poor critical reception, especially from American audiences, sealed the deal of the movie. Affected by the criticism, Depp made the surprising decision to pull the film from US theatres entirely. The movie was also given a limited theatrical release internationally and later found its way to DVD outside the United States.
Depp later admitted to The LA Times that the experience of making 'The Brave' was hard. He said, "This was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. It just about ripped me to shreds." He shared how the production of the movie met with several issues, including going over budget by $2 million, a sum Depp personally covered.
Meanwhile, Depp's latest directorial venture, 'Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness,' which encapsulated 20th-century artist Amedeo Modigliani, starring Riccardo Scamarcio and Al Pacino, is largely generating positive reviews. Depp explained his fascination with Modigliani in a conversation with Variety. He said, "Modigliani was, of course, one of the great contemporary artists of all time. But he also represented an era and point of view where new possibilities still existed. His vision fascinates me."
Depp added, "He (Modigliani) doggedly walked to the beat of his drum and possessed a natural allergy for convention during a time where the norm was being openly challenged across every medium." As such Depp expressed gratitude for the opportunity to bring Modigliani's world to life. He said, "I feel immensely fortunate to be given the opportunity to...capture his world in three days."
