Johnny Depp (Black Mass) may be joining the film Fortunately, the Milk for director Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World). The project- in the early stages of being acquired by Fox- is based on Neil Gaiman‘s fantastical story of a father who goes to the market for milk and comes home with stories aliens, time travel and prates. Flight of the Conchords alum Bret McKenzie (Oscar winner for the song “Man or Muppet” from The Muppets) is set to pen to screenplay.
Fortunately, the Milk is being conceived as a live action/animation hybrid film with animation house Animal Logic Entertainment (The LEGO Movie) producing; Depp will also be one of the producers of the film. Gaiman’s original children’s story was described with logline “a story of time travel and breakfast cereal,” an oddball premise that may yield the right stuff out of the idiosyncratic talents of Wright and Depp. Past Gaiman stories that have made it to the big screen include the 2007 fantasy Stardust and the Oscar nominated 2009 stop motion film Coraline.
There’s no word yet on a possible timeline for production but it might be a while. Wright is currently in pre-production on the upcoming action comedy Baby Driver starring Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars), Lily James (Cinderella), Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Oscar winner Jamie Foxx (Ray). Wright previously directed the acclaimed Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) and The World’s End (2013). He was also attached to direct Ant-Man for Marvel but dropped out over creative differences.
Depp is in similar high demand as he has two major franchise entries in the works- a fifth Pirates of the Caribbean and Alice Through the Looking Glass (a sequel to the 2010 Tim Burton live action take on Alice in Wonderland). The 3-time Oscar nominee is also set to appear in Kevin Smith’s Yoga Hosers due out some time next year. Depp can currently be seen in the true crime story Black Mass, a film in which the performer portrays Whitey Bulger, a performance that has earned Depp some of his best reviews in recent memory and sparked awards talk.
We will stay tuned for more information on Fortunately, the Milk.