Day Drinker: Everything we know about Johnny Depp’s comeback film

Johnny Depp is all set to make a comeback to Hollywood with Day Drinker, an American action thriller film, which also stars Penélope Cruz and Madelyn Cline in key roles.

For the last few years, he has been away from the spotlight due to the legal battle involving him and actress Amber Heard. After the infamous court trial, he starred in Jeanne du Barry (as an actor) and directed Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness (as a director).

Day Drinker marks Depp's return to English-language movies in a major production. It will be directed by Marc Webb and written by Zach Dean. Webb is known for his directorial work on films like Snow White (2025), Gifted (2017), 500 Days of Summer (2009), and the Andrew Garfield-led Spider-Man movies. Dean is known for his scripts for The Gorge (2025), Deadfall (2012), and 24 Hours to Live (2017).

The film's official plot logline, per IMDb, reads:

"An enigmatic stranger forms an unlikely bond with a grieving bartender who lost her lover, their lives intertwining in unexpected ways."

Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee from Thunder Road serve as the producers along with Depp's IN.2 FILM banner while 30WEST is executive producing it, per Variety. Lionsgate will serve as the distributor.

When will Day Drinker be released? Everything we know so far

Day Drinker is yet to receive an official release date. Some sources say that it entered the principal photography stage in Spain, on April 14, 2025. The filming reportedly took place in Tenerife from the Canary Islands, and some parts of it were also shot at the iconic Auditorio de Tenerife from Santa Cruz.

In connection with the project, director Marc Webb told Variety:

“I’m excited to be starting production with Johnny, Madelyn, Penelope, and this incredible cast. We’re in a beautiful location with a fantastic crew and a thrilling, ferocious story to tell. This is gonna be fun.”

What is the plot of Day Drinker?

The plot synopsis, per Movie Insider, reads:

"A bartender on a cruise ship strikes up a conversation with a mysterious passenger who drinks during the day. As they get to know each other, they become entangled in a dark web of crime and discover unexpected connections between them."

Johnny Depp stars as the guest on the ship, Madelyn Cline stars as the bartender, and Penélope Cruz stars as a criminal,who happens to cross paths with them.

Who is in the cast of Day Drinker?

"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" Premiere - 64th Annual Cannes Film Festival - Source: Getty

Day Drinker brings Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz back together on screen. They have previously acted alongside in projects like Murder on the Orient Express (2017), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), and Blow (2001). Their co-star Madelyn Cline was in the cast of Rian Johnson's Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) and Netflix's Outer Banks series.