Depp goes to prison to produce SHANTARAM

Actor will star and produce new adventure/drama

By Patrick Sauriol     October 07, 2004
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Johnny Depp is involved both as a producer and star of a new film project based on a novel that's about to be published. The film rights to SHANTARAM: A NOVEL, written by Gregory David Roberts and slated for release next week, have been purchased by Depp's Infinitum Nihil production company, Initial Entertainment Group, Warner Bros. Pictures and Plan B for somewhere between $1 million to $2 million dollars. In the film Depp would play the central character, an Australian convict who breaks out of prison, hides from the authorities in the slums of India and then finds himself fighting with rebel Afghanistanis against Russians in their homeland.

Brad Grey and Graham King will produce the picture with Depp, with Warners and IEG putting together the money for the film's budget and handling distribution chores. Depp is finishing work on CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY for director Tim Burton before moving on to star in the two PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN sequels.


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