Once Rumored Movie Projects


Index | A-C | D-I | J-O | P-Z

BROWN : Movie that isn't scheduled to be shot.
GREEN : Movie that has already been shot or is about to be shot.

Just to be Together

www.frcs.assoc-38.org
Just to Be Together (1998)
dir: Michelangelo Antonioni (Al di la delle nuvole, l'Avventura, Blow Up, Zabriskie Point...)
cast: Sam Shepard, Johnny Depp, Andy Garcia, Robin Wright, Winona Ryder
Comment:Robin Wright Penn dropped out of production, delaying start of filming. Because of delay, backup director Atom Egoyan will also be unavailable, and will be replaced by Jack Nicholson. Filming is scheduled to start in summer.

1/21/2000 salon.com
Juicy bits
.....
In other reunion news ... Johnny Depp may have been too hasty in altering his "Winona Forever" tattoo to read "Wino Forever." The BBC reports that Depp and his ex-fiancée Winona Ryder will reunite -- if only on-screen -- in Michaelangelo Antonioni's "Just to Be Together." That Matt Damon sure is one secure guy ...

IMDB

Lemony Snicket

The Lemony Site
December 5, 2002
PunctilioReporter at The Malicious Message Board posted the following totally unconfirmed report this morning:
"My cousin works in New York for a acting agency and when I called yesterday (my whole family called becuz it's my aunt's birthday) she said that
"JOAN CUSAK is Aunt Josephine
"EMMA TOMSON is Justice Strauss
"and...drum roll please...
"JONNY DEPP is LEMONY SNICKET!!!!!!"

The Z Review
Tuesday 16th September 2003: Lemony Snicket Update:
Meryl Streep and Jude Law are joining Jim Carrey in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Streep will play Aunt Josephine, while Law is being recruited by Brad Silberling to play narrator Lemony Snicket in the Paramount/DreamWorks adaptation of the Daniel Handler children's book series.

Book "The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)"

Official Site

IMDB

Yahoo! Movies

Liberace

The Latest Buzz On The "Liberace Movie"! (in Bob's World of Liberace)
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, August 24, 2000
Williams will tickle ivories on 'Liberace' film
By Zorianna Kit - LOS ANGELES
Robin Williams has come aboard to develop and topline "Liberace," a biopic to be directed by Philip Kaufman for Cary Woods' Independent Pictures.
Written by "Scary Movie" co-scribes Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, the project is described as being in the vein of "The People vs. Larry Flynt." The film centers on the rise of Liberace's career through his death in 1987.
Born Wladziu Valentino Liberace, the entertainer was a child prodigy who emerged as a concert soloist by age 11 and performed with symphony orchestras in his teens. As an adult during the 1950s, Liberace -- often flamboyantly dressed in rhinestones, gold lame, furs and sequins -- became a star with his records and television and film appearances. The performer made headlines in 1959, when he successfully sued London's Daily Mirror for implying that he was gay.
Independent Pictures optioned Friedberg and Seltzer's spec script a year and a half ago with company executive Gina Mingacci overseeing the project (HR 1/6/99). Basic Entertainment, which manages the writers, will also produce. Woods' New York-based production, distribution and marketing company has a distribution deal with New Line Cinema, which is slated to distribute "Liberace."
Williams, repped by Artists Management Group, is still in serious talks to star in "One Hour Photo," an urban thriller for Fox Searchlight (HR 8/10). Williams most recently starred in "Bicentennial Man." He took home the best supporting actor Oscar in 1998 for his role in "Good Will Hunting" and has been nominated for the best actor Oscar three times: in 1992 for "The Fisher King," in 1990 for "Dead Poets Society" and in 1988 for "Good Morning, Vietnam."
Kaufman most recently helmed "Quills" for Fox Searchlight, and he directed "Henry & June," "The Unbearable Lightness of Being," "The Right Stuff" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers."
THE ADVOCATE, August 31, 1999
DEPP'S CANDELABRA
Will Johnny Depp trade in Ed Wood's angora sweater for something even more outrageous, like sequined hot pants, an ermine cape and a flaming candelabra? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps - if plans materialize for him to portray the high priest of ivory-tickling kitsch, Liberace. Word is that Depp is mulling over a script - being retooled by Ed Wood scribes Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski - based on the life of the "confirmed bachelor."

THe Liberace Foundation

Madman

The Z Review
Wednesday 10th September 2003: Madman Update:
Director Robert Rodriguez is set to join Hollywood's comic book craze, with an adaptation of Madman. "I optioned the rights years ago and I've had them all this time," he says of the Mike Allred-penned series. "We have very similar taste as far as not wanting to do something too reality based because it's like, why? "It's a really funny comic because you could spoof comic book movies and do a really great one all at the same time," he continues. "I think it would really catch on and be funny and fun." Rodriguez will start working on Madman once he finishes work on his under-wraps animated movie.

01/29/2004 Moviehole
Rodriguez talks Madman and Predators
I Caught up with Director Robert Rodriguez to chat about the DVD of "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" recently and ended up chatting about his future projects. Here�fs the guts of that - in which he discusses "Madman", "Predator 3" and the possibility of a "Desperado 4".
"I'm doing a couple of things that are -- I mean I'm still getting the rights to them, but they're actually stuff that I didn't even originate, so that's going to be a lot of fun, couple of properties that I have always been a fan of and I think I have -- I've learned a lot on these last three movies experimenting with the technology and a lot of different tricks and stuff to figure out how to put these on screen. So yes, looking forward to the next couple, they'll be announced pretty soon if they go forward.
And what about the recently mooted "Madman"?
"Mad Man", we're writing "Mad Man" right now. Yes, Mike Hollard's going to come down, he just finished moving, he's coming in the next couple of weeks to come go through what we've been working up and see what he thinks."
Rodriguez says it's early days for the casting, but there's a chance some of his former "Spy Kids" and "Desperado" cast might have parts. And the lead role? "I can say, but -- I know who but I can't say right now. We do have somebody."
.....
In related news, there's whispers that Johnny Depp might be Rodriguez's catch for "Madman" - now that's a nice choice. Though he hinted towards that, there�fs no confirmation.

Comic "Madman"

Man's Fate

2001/9/6 Hollywood.com
Cimino's "Fate"
Michael Cimino is returning to the director's chair with a new project, Man's Fate, a drama set in Shanghai against the backdrop of the Chinese revolution. Based on French author Andre Malraux's novel La condition humaine (The Human Condition), the film follows several Europeans living in Shanghai and the emotional bonds they develop during the tragic turmoil of the onset of China's Communist regime. Cimino is looking at several A-list actors, including Johnny Depp, Daniel Day-Lewis, John Malkovich, Uma Thurman and French actor Alain Delon. Poor Cimino. His career started so big with the Academy Award-winning The Deer Hunter, but has been forever stamped with the ugly label of directing the classic textbook-case flop Heaven's Gate. He'll never be able to shrug this off, unless he directs another Oscar winner. Maybe Fate will be his ticket out of the Gate.

10/2001 Newsletter
The Human Condition ("Man's Fate") - We heard a lot of rumors that Johnny (or Johnny's agent) was in negotiations for this adaptation of André Malraux's book 'The Human Condition,' set in Shanghai at the start of the Chinese Revolution, but Karelle quashed them with this news: I work with a journalist who interviewed Johnny in Deauville for Blow and he asked him about this project...Johnny replied that he had never even heard about that project!

Book "La Condition Humaine"

Book "Man's Fete"

Yahoo! Movies

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote

3/8/1999 New York Daily News Online
Movie Makers Want To Do Their Part for Depp
Johnny Depp may be a bad boy, but Hollywood still wants a date with him.
Despite Depp's arrest last month in an assault on London paparazzi, film makers are looking to him as the savior of two long-delayed movies ? "Don Quixote" and "The White Hotel."
Director Terry Gilliam has recruited Depp to play the tilter-at-windmills in a new bid to bring Miguel de Cervantes' classic to the screen, sources tell us.
Producers have been jousting with the monumental novel since 1965, when screenwriter Waldo Salt ("Midnight Cowboy," "Serpico") first adapted it. Richard Burton and Buddy Hackett were the first actors who stood ready to play Quixote and his sidekick, Sancho Panza. The most recent were John Cleese and Robin Williams, who were due to be directed by Fred Schepisi in 1997.
.....

4/7/2000 Empire Online
Terry Gilliam Woos English
Three more principal actors have signed to Terry Gilliams's The Man Who Killed Don Quixote - all of them British. Miranda Richardson, Christopher Eccleston and Bill Paterson are to join Johnny Depp and his wife Vanessa Paradis in the movie which begins filming this September, reports ScreenDaily.com.
The three British actors will appear in the modern-day segment of the film in which Depp plays a modern-day advertising executive who somehow ends up in the 17th century. Richardson will play Depp's boss's wife, Eccleston a psychiatrist and Paterson will be a film director.
.....

10/18/2000 Dark Horizons (with photos)
The Man who Killed Don Quixote: Terry Gilliam, Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis are currently at work in Spain on this new and rather wierd movie, and HEAT Magazine scored some of the first shots from the production available on the left. Thanks to 'Goose'.

4/7/2000 10/20/2000 Ananova
Depp film hit by jinx
Filming on Terry Gilliam's latest adventure The Man Who Killed Don Quixote has been abandoned after doctors told his star French actor Jean Rochefort to undergo immediate surgery.
The �’20 million production has come to an abrupt halt in Northern Spain when Rochefort was hurt, apparently injuring his back dismounting from a horse.
Doctors examined him and he requires an operation to repair two slipped discs.
Johnny Depp, who also stars in the film with his real life girlfriend French actress Vanessa Paradis, has left Spain until director Gilliam decides on the film's future.
Gilliam first encountered major production problems while making Brazil which went heavily over budget due to "technical problems". He suffered a similar fate in Spain while directing The Adventures of Baron Munchhausen.
A source on the set of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote said: "Terry is understandably very perplexed by developments. He's a sensible man but it's as though somebody up there, or rather down there doesn't like him."

2/9/2002 Calendar Live (an article on "Lost in La Mancha")
Tilting at Movies
As production on Terry Gilliam's $32-million Don Quixote film fell apart, a documentary crew was there to capture it all.
.....

Book "Adventures of Don Quixote"

DREAMS The Terry Gilliam Fanzine

IMDB

Yahoo! Movies

2001/2/4 Terry Gilliam interview

"Lost in La Mancha" Official Site

Marlowe

12/2000 Newsletter
Reuters/Variety
Johnny Depp will play poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe in a new British movie.
The £13 million film (22 million), Marlowe, is being made with German backing by Natural Nylon, the production company formed by Jude Law, his off-screen wife Sadie Frost, Jonny Lee Miller and Sean Pertwee.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, all are likely to participate in the story about the man who may have collaborated with Shakespeare on many of his works.
The film is directed by John Maybury, who made Love is the Devil, about painter Francis Bacon.
Insiders say Marlowe will focus on his relationship with Shakespeare.
A source said: "The tone of the film is about Shakespeare's relationship with Marlowe and the suggestion that the latter actually wrote several of his plays."
British filmmaker John Maybury ("Love is the Devil") is set to direct. Law's U.K.-based Natural Nylon production company will co-produce with German Advanced Medien.
Christina found that the filming will begin in March 2001 in London and Italy and it will be released in spring 2002.
Variety
Johnny Depp and Jude Law have agreed to star in "Marlowe," a $22 million film that will start shooting in London and Italy in March.
Depp will play Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe, who runs afoul of the queen, as well as a jealous male admirer who ultimately hands Marlowe's unpublished work to William Shakespeare (Law), an unsuccessful scribe who then pilfers Marlowe's writings.

Christopher Marlowe

IMDB

Yahoo! Movies

The Master and The Margarita

2003/06/05 Ain't It Cool News
Tom Tykwer at work on THE MASTER AND THE MARGARITA!!!
Hey folks, Harry here with The Ugly Duckling from Denmark with very exciting news about the genius known as Tom Tykwer and his next film which has caused me to go to Amazon and order THE MASTER AND THE MARGARITA cuz it just sounds so damn good, and living as long as I have without reading it, must be rectified. Johnny Depp as the Devil... heh, can't wait, when you see his character in ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO - he isn't far off. Here ya go... God Morgen From Denmark, Harry!
I am a film student in Copenhagen and recently won a prize for my short film 'Et Andet Navne' (Another Name). The prize was a ticket to the highly prestigious Rodovre Film Festival, which attracts mostly Scandinavian and German films (Rodovre is a large suburb in Denmark which is popular for music concerts).
......
Anyway, to cut the crap and get to the bottom line, as you may have it, Tom Tykwer said he is in the pre-production stages of making and adaptation of one of my favourite novels: Mikhail Bulgakov's 'The Master and Margarita', a Russian classic about the arrival of the Devil in Moscow, flanked by two demons, a naked girl and a huge black cat. When he leaves the asylums are full and law and order in disarray. Only the Master, a man devoted to the truth, and Margarita, the woman he loves, remain unaffected. It was written at the height of Stalin's power, if I remember correctly (about 1938) but was only published in Russia in 1966. Tykwer claimed there was a movie adaptation made in Russia of the novel, but is only known these days to 'Russian movie critics and political satirists', because it is well-known for being an allegory for the political situation at the time- Gorky and such.
According to Tykwer, filming begins in Prague (every filmmaker's filming location these days- must be the cheap beer) with Johnny Depp playing the Devil -something I'm sure he's wanted to do for a long time- and Netherland's Famke Janssen playing Margarita (I love her in everything!). Tykwer couldn't say who would play the Master because a 'very well-known actor' had recently dropped out and they were in serious talks with another 'very famous actor'. Producing the movie, among others he mentioned but I didn't hear, were Stefan Arndt and Adam Schroeder (no, I've never heard of them either). Longtime Ang Lee collaborator, screenwriter James Schamus has apparently written a wonderful script which called for 'updating language and poor translation', and adding new scenes and getting rid of seemingly un-needed characters. I personally think this is a Godsend, something exciting put in the hands of such a wunderkind as Tykwer. And if you have BBC in Amer! ica, you'll no doubt know of The Office, which is huge in Denmark- writer and star Ricky Gervais has an 'interesting little role' according to Tykwer.

The Z Review
Wednesday 2nd July 2003: The Master and Margarita Update:
Just received the following that rubbishes the rumours of an in develoment movie for The Master and Margarita "I read with interest your report of June 9 that the Mikhail Bulgakov novel "The Master and Margarita" was to be made into a film by Tom Tykwer to star Johnny Depp and Famke Janssen based on a screenplay by James Schamus and to be produced by Stefan Arndt and Adam Schroeder.I spoke personally with Mr. Schamus and with Mr. Arndt's assistant, as well as publicists for the two actors. Each of them denied knowledge of any such film, and Mr. Schamus specifically denied ever having written a screenplay based on "The Master and Margarita".Since I represent a party who has negotiated to acquire an exclusive option on the motion picture rights in this novel I am very curious as to the origin of this report in the Z Review. I am not yhet aware of any damage to my client by reason of this false report, but I would like to end its further dissemination and would appreciate your cooperation." Thanks to Stuart!

Book "The Master and The Margarita"

Mikhail Bulgakov

The Mistress of Spices

9/24/1999 The Daily Cougar (The Official Student Newspaper of The University of Houston)
UH professor's novel to be made into movie
By James Idea
Daily Cougar Staff
The Mistress of Spices, a book written by UH creative writing Professor Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, will soon be made into a major motion picture.
Indian-American director Gurinder Chadha obtained an advance copy of the book in 1997 and immediately informed Divakaruni she wanted to adapt it for the screen.
"I was so excited when I found out that my book was going to be made into a movie," Divakaruni said. "I was writing one day and the phone rang. It was the director who called, and she said, 'I'm director Gurinder Chadha, and I'd like to make a movie out of Mistress of Spices.'"
Although casting for the movie is still in progress, actor Johnny Depp and Indian-American actress Sarita Choudhry, who co-starred with Denzel Washington in Mississippi Masala, are being considered for the leading roles.
Chadha has written and directed the 1994 film A Nice Arrangement and 1993's Bhaji on the Beach and is author and director of What's Cookin', a film slated for release in 2000.
The Mistress of Spices is the story of a woman who owns a small spice store in inner-city Oakland, Calif. She administers spices as curatives to her customers, but conflict arises when she becomes too attached to her customers and gets involved with a handsome young man from a different ethnic background.
The book addresses racism and prejudice, the role of women in India and the immigrant experience, Divakaruni said.
"I was inspired to write The Mistress of Spices from my own experiences," Divakaruni said.
"Before I wrote the movie I had my youngest son, and I was very sick in the hospital and I almost died," she said. "I had a near-death experience, and the movie comes out of that because it was an experience about crossing over from one life to another, and that's what happens in The Mistress of Spices."
Divakaruni was born in India and received her undergraduate degree from Calcutta University. In 1976, she emigrated to the United States, where she earned her doctoral degree in English from the University of California at Berkeley.
In the fall of 1998, Divakaruni was named an associate professor of English at UH, where she teaches in the Creative Writing Program.
Her most recent book, Sister of My Heart, was published last January. In addition to her two novels, Divakaruni has written a number of short stories, anthologies and poems.
Her writing has earned many awards, including the Allen Ginsberg Poetry Award, the Pushcart Prize and the distinguished American Book Award for fiction.
She is at work on a new collection of short stories. The movie version of Mistress may be completed as early as next fall.

Book "The Mistress of Spices"

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

The Mother's Recompense

1/19/2001 Asiaweek.com
Director Mira Nair's wedding picture reveals a heart of darkness
......
Still, how long can the staunchly independent director resist the temptations of Hollywood? Monsoon Wedding will be released at the Cannes film festival in March. Nair is already beginning to prepare for a movie starring Susan Sarandon and Johnny Depp, based on an Edith Wharton novel, A Mother's Recompense. "I have insisted on complete independence [on the project ]," says Nair. Sometimes, following your own instincts can take you through Hollywood too.

Book "The Mother's Recompense"

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

08/06/2003 movies.com
Pitt, Wahlberg Leave Pics
Most of the big casting news announced today has been set in motion by actors leaving projects rather than actors signing on to projects. First off, there's Mr. and Mrs. Smith, a romantic spy thriller about a couple whose marriage has become tired and boring �c until they realize that each of them is an assassin hired to kill the other.
Originally, Nicole Kidman was to star with Brad Pitt; Kidman bailed out in July because of scheduling conflicts with Stepford Wives. Then Catherine Zeta-Jones' name was bandied about for a bit, but it now appears that she can't do the project either, nor can Angelina Jolie, Pitt's other approved co-star.
And now word has come down that Mr. Pitt himself is about to ask for a separation from Mrs. Smith, thanks to the ubiquitous "scheduling conflicts" ? Pitt's currently filming Troy in Mexico.
Potential Pitt replacements include Will Smith (Smith as Smith? Sounds like fate �c), to whom an offer has reportedly been made, and Johnny Depp.
Doug Liman is still set to direct, though the Sept. 1 production start date is likely in jeopardy.

The Z Review
Friday 22nd August 2003: Mr & Mrs Smith Update:
Well, last week the production looked doomed, but this week it's all systems go, with Angelina Jolie filling the Mrs Smith role, it also means Brad Pitt has decided to stay on the project. It is hoped to start filming on the project at the end of the year, which fits in nicely with Jolie finishing work on Alexander.

IMDB

Nailed Right In

8/2001 Newsletter
A Small Role for Johnny In Nailed Right In (Variety)
Conveyed by Reemi: Now that the Griffin Dunne-directed mob drama Nailed Right In is financed, Johnny Depp is being courted to play the small but important role of a mobster who shows the ropes to a couple of wannabe wiseguys, much like Pacino did for Depp in Donnie Brasco. Dish hears Depp could be paid $2 million for a couple weeks work. And according to the Upcomingmovies site, shooting should begin September, 2001 in New York (with some filming in Toronto).

Yahoo! Movies
Cast Note: (7/31/01) The clever thing about the casting of Johnny Depp as a mobster here is that it is sort of similar to Al Pacino's role in Donnie Brasco. (5/17/02) Depp has long been mentioned as costarring in this, but a recent Variety didn't mention him, so he may have dropped out. (11/25/02) Apparently, Leelee Sobieski might also no longer be attached, with Hayden Christensen the only currently attached cast member.

IMDB

Nevermore

12/8/1999 Ain't It Cool News
A Rival 'Edgar Allan Poe' film called NEVERMORE
Hey folks, Harry here. This evening I heard a rapping, as if someone gently tapping, tapping at my chamberdoor, tis some idiot I muttered, only Quint and nothing more, Ah Distinctly I remember it was in really abnormally warm December and there were no embers upon my floor.... Ok ok ok... I see the puke on the screen, I'll go ahead and turn it on over to THE RAVEN... I bet this is more of the approach many would care to see...
Hey Harry,
Saw your blip on the Michael Jackson/Edgar Allen Poe debacle, and thought you might like to know that at least half of your fantasy Poe movie may come to pass. There's a really brilliant, exceptional script out there called "Nevermore." Sort of a Shakespeare in Love approach to Poe and his life -- part fact, part fiction. From what I'm told, Geoffrey Wright, of Romper Stomper/Metal Skin fame is on board to direct, and the script is out to Johnny Depp right now. Depp is the filmmaker's first choice, and they are waiting for him to read the script. Keep your fingers crossed.
Nice site, by the way.
Call me The Raven

Edger Alan Poe

The Night Job

5/2001 Newsletter
San Jose Mercury News web site
Movie, miniseries, art keep Dennis Hopper busy
Dennis Hopper's hopping back into feature filmmaker mode, with a Mafia drama to which, he reports, Val Kilmer is already attached. ``Norman Mailer's son Michael and I have a script called `Night Job,' '' Hopper says. ``It's a character piece about three people in the Mafia -- two men and a woman and their off-and-on love . . . sort of a `Jules and Jim' of the Mafia.'' He adds, ``I've got an offer out to Johnny Depp for the other male role, and I like Diane Lane for the girl.''

Yahoo! Movies

Ocean's Eleven

2/2000 Newsletter
There is no definite news about what will be next for him but there has been some talk that he may appear with Brad Pitt in a remake of "Ocean 11". That would be interesting indeed! Reemi and A Hardy both reported that Variety had this mention of the project - Brad Pitt is negotiating to join George Clooney in the Warner Bros. remake of the 1960 Rat Pack heist comedy "Ocean 11," which Steve Soderbergh will direct. At the same time, numerous top stars are eyeing possible involvement in the star-studded ensemble, including Johnny Depp, Julia Roberts, Mike Myers and Luke and Owen Wilson. All would have to work for reduced freight in order to make the film for an affordable budget."

3/23/2000 Ain't It Cool News
Mysterio talks with Steven Soderbergh and Terrence Stamp about OCEAN'S 11, TRAFFIC and EPISODE 2
.....
Johnny Depp & Jet Li -
Neither considered for roles in the film. Instead the characters of a French explosives expert & Chinese circus gymnast will more than likely be played by unknowns says Soderberg.
.....

Official Site

IMDB

Yahoo! Movies

Old Boy

03/11/2004 Digital Chosun Ilbo
'Old Boy' Remake to Hit Hollywood
The Park Chan-wook film "Old boy" will be reborn as a Hollywood movie. Cineclick Asia, the overseas marketer for the film, announced Tuesday that in the American Film Festival, it concluded a deal with the U.S movie company Universal Pictures to sell the rights to remake "Old boy."
Cineclick Asia, quoting Universal Pictures, said Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt are being considered for the leading roles.
"Old Boy" depicts a psychological game between two men, Dae-soo and Woo-jin. Woo-jin confines Dae-soo to a room and observes him for 15 years. Dae-soo is shut up in a room without knowing the reason. Yoo Ji-tae and Choi Min-sik assumed the leading roles in the Korean version.
Cineclick Asia said that it could not precisely reveal the selling price of the movie, but the company earned about W3.8 billion in overseas markets including the deal with Universal Pictures.

Festival de Cannes
Grand Prix to "Old Boy" by Park Chan-Wook
The Grand Prix was presented by Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd to Park Chan-wook for his film, Old Boy.

The Z Review

Ozzy Osbourne biopic

12/2002 Newsletter
ARMquaman - Access Johnnywood
By now everyone has been inundated with "The Osbournes" hype/press blitz for their upcoming 2nd season and I indeed caught Sharon Osbourne's dream casting of JD as Ozzy Osbourne that was posted here. "Access Hollywood" (7:30pm eastern time) just did an interview with the Osbourne clan and the movie casting question again was posed to Sharon but this time the rest of the family was on hand to chime in so it's a little more interesting. Here's the exchange, I actually taped it, for some reason my Depp spider-sense went off when I saw Sharon stream of conscience commenting and sure enough she dropped JD's name again.
Billy Bush(AH reporter): Any word on the movie?
Sharon Osbourne: It is gonna happen! I hope to produce it, help write it, and it's gonna happen!
BB: Who plays Ozzy Osbourne?
SO: Well my wish would be Johnny Depp! That would be my wish!
Ozzy interrupts.
Ozzy Osbourne: Yeah, that wouldn't be a bad choice at all. He can do a great English accent.
Sharon interrupts.
SO: He's also a musician and I want the movie to have sort of a "Rocky" type feel. Ozzy was sort of the kid who was picked on at school.
BB: Who plays mom?(To the kids)
Jack and Kelly Osbourne(in unison and joking): We want J-LO! OO: No, I want Puff Daddy to play her!
Then they show a hilarious superimposed picture of Johnny as Ozzy and Puffy/P-Diddy/Puff Daddy/Sean Combs as Sharon with their arms around each other. Quick, but really interesting, the whole piece.

08/07/2003 TEEN HOLLYWOOD
Depp WantsTo Play Ozzy Osbourne
World Entertainment News Network
Quirky superstar Johnny Depp is so "fascinated" by Ozzy Osbourne he's desperate to play the wild rocker in a biopic.
Johnny is currently starring in blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean, in which he based his character Captain Jack Sparrow partially on the Rolling Stones' legendary guitarist Keith Richards.
Now he wants to play a rocker for real in the new movie of Ozzy's raucous life, which is currently being developed by the former Black Sabbath frontman's wife Sharon.
Depp explains, "He's a deeply fascinating human being."

The Z Review
Thursday 15th October 2003: Ozzy Osbourne Biopic Update:
Jack Black has expressed more than a passing interest in biting into the role of Ozzy Osbourne in the proposed movie of the rock star�fs life. Black apparently pleaded his case to Osbourne's wife Sharon on her syndicated talk show last week. Black reportedly said, "Ozzy was a hero of mine as a kid and I have to say, I've been tracking the Ozzy film. If anyone's Ozzy, I'm Ozzy."
Wednesday 12th November 2003: Ozzy Osbourne Biopic Update:
Jeff has been in touch the following update on the in development Ozzy biopic "the only other Osbourne of the family who will appear will be Sharon. "Diary of a Madman" is a very apt title, and does feel just right in every other way as well. This will seem somewhat another 'Fear and Loathing' type film, with Randy Rhoades at Ozzy's side during the majority of the film. A wild night/day/night, Ozzy meets Sharon at the end and will probably be in it for about fifteen minutes, not the real Sharon Osbourne. I am currently working upon 'THE' script and everything else (other than the title) is rubbish. The Ozzy in this movie is apparently destitute, regardless of the few records he has actually made at this point and the audiences won't care that it is never explained why he is broke and pissed off because of it at times."

OzzyNet