Despite Johnny Depp’s recent issues, Wednesday filmmaker Tim Burton has stated that he would be willing to work with Depp again. Burton started his filmmaking journey as an animator for Disney and is presently marketing his forthcoming Addams Family-inspired Netflix series. Burton’s films, ranging from the horror-comedy Beetlejuice to the historical drama Ed Wood, are noted for their dark whimsical flair. Burton has regularly cooperated with Depp throughout his career, since he stars in several of his movies, including Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. They last worked in 2012 on Burton’s big-screen adaptation of Dark Shadows.

Although he was previously the lead character in Disney’s blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean series, Depp’s reputation has since been damaged by controversy. Perhaps most notably, the actor was embroiled in a high-profile defamation battle against his ex-wife Amber Heard, who claimed that Depp was both verbally and physically abusive throughout their marriage. The trial completed in June, and while the jury ruled in Depp’s favor, the proceedings appeared to have already harmed Depp’s career. Warner Bros. asked Depp to withdraw from the Fantastic Beasts series during the development of the third film in 2020, while Disney had already said that Depp wouldn’t be returning for the scheduled Pirates of the Caribbean 6 film.

Although it appears that Depp’s popularity has dropped since the abuse claims surfaced, his long-time colleague, Tim Burton, has not abandoned him. Burton recently told Reuters (via ComicBook.com) that he’d work with Depp again, noting that he looks for the ideal person for all of his projects. Take a look at Burton’s comments below:

“If the right thing was around, sure… I think with anybody, you just, I never work with anybody even with my friends, it’s not like a party so I always would like to try it with him or anybody to kind of go; what is the part? What is the thing? And then is it the right thing, is it the right character? I take things on those basis and no others.”

Is a comeback possible for Johnny Depp?

Tim Burton Describes Why He Would Work Again With Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp

Although Burton is eager to cast Depp again, the actor has had few jobs since the defamation lawsuit began, and even before that. Depp’s reputation has clearly suffered major setbacks in recent times, and with the sharp reduction in acting opportunities Depp has gotten, it now appears impossible that he would ever regain the vast popularity he previously enjoyed. After all, Depp has no plans to reprise his two most famous roles: Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean and Gellert Grindewald in Fantastic Beasts. The actor’s next character will be as King Louis XV in the forthcoming French film La Favorite.

Despite the controversy, Depp has a devoted fan following and a large number of supporters. In addition to Burton, Mads Mikkelsen, who replaced Depp in the third Fantastic Beasts movie, stated that if Depp returned to the Fantastic Beasts franchise, he would support it. Depp will also appear in the Savage X Fenty fashion show, which will be available on Prime Video on November 9th. Depp may be able to overcome the prior claims with these performances and if Burton carries through on his words.

Source: Reuters (via ComicBook.com)