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Johnny Depp's "Minamata" Finally Gets Release Date


Thu 02 Dec 2021 | 02:49 PM
Yara Sameh

Award-winning actor Johnny Depp's movie "Minamata" is finally getting a U.S. release, but not from MGM which had previously acquired the movie.

Iervolino and Lady Bacardi Entertainment (ILBE) are now teaming up with Samuel Goldwyn Films for a North American release in theaters starting December 15.

This update comes after the movie’s director, Andrew Levitas, complained earlier this year that MGM was “burying” Minamata due to Depp’s well-publicized off-screen issues.

Depp also decried the non-release in an interview back in August which he said the movie deserved to be seen but was shelved because he was being “boycotted” by Hollywood.

"Minamata" is a true story about acclaimed war photographer W. Eugene Smith (played by Depp) who traveled back to Japan in the 1970s to document the devastating effect of mercury poisoning in local communities by a major corporation that dumped chemicals into their waterways.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzQv5nVH85o

The film got its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in 2020 and the filmmakers had expected MGM to release it earlier this year after it was acquired in fall 2020 for the studio’s American International Pictures label.

The feature has been released in a host of international markets but MGM stalled on the domestic release, which had initially been set for February 5.

Recently, the filmmakers were finally able to renegotiate a deal to make sure it got a domestic audience.

Depp has had a turbulent 18 months. In March, the actor lost an attempt to overturn a UK High Court ruling that concluded he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard.

He was dropped by Warner Bros from its Fantastic Beasts franchise following the UK verdict. He remains engaged in a related U.S. legal battle with Heard.

"Minamata" also stars Bill Nighy, Minami, Hiroyuki Sanada, Jun Kunimura, Ryo Kase, Asano Tadanobu, and Akiko Iwase.

The movie was written by David K. Kessler, Stephen Deuters, Levitas, and Jason Forman. Producers are Levitas for Metalwork Pictures and Depp for Infinitum Nihil, as well as Sam Sarkar, Bill Johnson, and Kevan Van Thompson.