Johnny Depp's comeback movie is a "brilliant move," but Hollywood's future for him remains "uncertain," according to an expert.

After winning his court battle with Amber Heard, Johnny Depp is returning to the big screen.

The 60-year-old actor is starring opposite French actress and director Maïwenn in the new French-language period romance "Jeanne du Barry," which premiered on Thursday. The film's limited theatrical run ends on Monday, but the movie will be available to stream on Apple TV+ at a future date.

Despite winning his 2022 defamation trial against Heard, Depp has been shunned by Hollywood for years due to her allegations of physical and emotional abuse. Brand expert Doug Eldridge discussed Depp's return and future prospects in the industry with Planet Chronicle Digital.

"I believe it's a smart move from a strategic standpoint. However, it's unclear how bright his box office star shines now, after being dragged through the defamation mud in front of the entire country," Eldridge said.

In the 18th century, a commoner named Jeanne Du Barry (Maïwenn) becomes a courtesan and eventually catches the eye of King Louis XV (Depp), who makes her his chief royal mistress.

During his 14-year relationship with French actress Vanessa Paradis, Depp learned to speak French and now all dialogue in "Madame Du Barry" is in French with English subtitles.

Despite receiving second billing in the movie, the central focus of the story is on Maïwenn's character, with Depp appearing as a supporting actor. Eldridge noted that "Jeanne Du Barry" may not be enough to revive Depp's previous star status.

Depp is taking on a supporting role in a period piece, which is a departure from his usual leading roles in big budget movies.

"In addition, Depp is doing it his way," he said. "Like Sinatra sang, '...and through it all, when there were doubts, I ate it up and spit it out. The record shows, I took the blows, and did it my way.'"

In 2016, Depp's Hollywood fame began to decline when he was accused of abuse by his wife, Heard, who had only been married to him for two years. Despite his denials, their divorce was finalized in 2017.

She wrote an op-ed in 2018, describing herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse" and stating that she had been heard standing by her allegations.

In the same year, Depp lost a libel lawsuit against a U.K. newspaper and was subsequently asked to resign from his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise by Warner Bros.

Depp's career came to a halt after losing his U.K. case. Prior to "Jeanne Du Barry," his last film role was in the 2020 independent film "Minamata," which was completed before the trial.

In a recent interview with The Independent, Maïwenn revealed that Depp's British assistant Stephen Deuters emailed her a week after the actor lost his case and asked if she still wanted him to star in the film. She responded by stating that she was not concerned with Depp's "private life" and inquired if he still wanted to participate in the project.

"Stephen answered in 30 seconds," Maïwenn said.

In April 2022, a Virginia court heard the defamation case between Depp and Heard, with both parties testifying and making shocking allegations of physical and sexual abuse against each other during a televised six-week trial.

Depp claimed that he was fired from the sixth installment of "Pirates of the Caribbean" following Heard's op-ed, which Disney denied.

On June 1, 2022, the jury ruled largely in favor of Depp, as they found Heard liable on all three counts of defamation, while Depp was determined to be liable for one count of defamation. Heard was ordered to pay Depp $10 million in damages, and Depp was to pay his former spouse $2 million.

Although Depp was acquitted in court, Eldridge pointed out that his reputation among the public and in Hollywood may not be fully restored.

"Depp's victory in his defamation case against his ex-wife served as a symbol of hope for men falsely accused, inspiring a new fan base of both men and women who admired his courage in standing up to false accusations."

"Unfortunately, for those falsely accused, the Court of Public Opinion issues a verdict based on accusations rather than evidence, and the consequences are measurable in terms of financial impact."

In Cannes, the actor made a comment about his big-screen comeback, which Eldridge highlighted.

"During a press event in Cannes, Depp may have given the best soundbite about the comeback process when he said, "I often wonder about the word 'comeback' because I never left," which is a sad truth."

"Eldridge stated that Depp's vindication was in the courtroom, and he doesn't require validation. However, being falsely accused and forced to pay for someone else's wrongdoing is a paradoxical situation that Depp has had to deal with."

Despite playing the main character Captain Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, Depp was fired.

"Disney's films grossed $1.046 billion, with Depp being the driving force. He earned an estimated $300 million from the franchise. However, he was deprived of subsequent installments in Pirates and became an unwitting, innocent pariah among Hollywood decision-makers."

The film "Jeanne Du Barry" began production one month after the trial, and it was chosen to open the 76th Annual Cannes Film Festival in May 2023. Depp made his return to the public eye by attending the film's world premiere.

In a film promotion press conference, Depp disclosed how he felt Hollywood treated him during his years-long legal battle with Heard.

"Feeling boycotted by Hollywood? You'd have to be dead to not feel like it's all just a joke at that point," he said, according to Variety.

"When asked to resign from a film due to a role that's just a string of vowels and consonants, it's understandable to feel boycotted, he said, referring to his experience with "Fantastic Beasts.""

""I don't feel boycotted because I don't think about Hollywood and I don't need it much anymore," Depp stated."

An interview with The Independent last month revealed that Maïwenn and her crew were "afraid" of Johnny Depp while filming "Jeanne Du Barry."

Maïwenn stated that it was challenging to work with him because the crew was scared of his unique sense of humor and uncertainty about his punctuality and ability to deliver his lines on set. Despite his presence on time, the crew remained fearful of him.

Maïwenn explained in a statement to Variety that she felt "betrayed" by the way her comments were portrayed in the article.

Maïwenn wrote that when she commented on Johnny being "scary," she was referring to his charisma, notoriety, star status, and other attributes.

""Johnny's charisma and status as 'king' are impressive, but I regret using the word 'scary' as it has been misconstrued in a negative way," she stated."

In an interview with The Independent, Maïwenn stated that Depp frequently arrived late on set and recounted specific conflicts she had with the actor during filming.

The outlet was informed by Maïwenn that Depp frequently presented rewritten versions of the script, which was co-written with Teddy Lussi-Modeste and Nicolas Livecchi.

I remembered a time when Johnny presented a revised script, but I wasn't satisfied with it. It didn't align with my vision, so I decided to proceed without making the changes he suggested. This led to him feeling offended.

Maïwenn revealed that she had to edit some of Depp's lines during filming because his French accent "wasn't flawless."

"She stated that there was no time for rehearsals. Despite her request for time, he was unavailable for whatever reason. Although he had a coach, he couldn't work with her beforehand. As a result, she discovered that his accent was not perfect. Consequently, she cut his lines a few times. However, this also happened with the French actors. It's just how it goes."

Maïwenn remembered that she and Depp had a great relationship before filming, but their relationship worsened during production and has not been the same since.

"Since the shoot, there has been no normal relationship between us. Johnny, despite being a genius, is in a different world and we cannot communicate."

Maïwenn acknowledged the disagreement between herself and Depp but emphasized her admiration for him in her interview with Variety.

"Maïwenn stated that Johnny Depp is a highly talented actor, considered one of the greatest. She compared him to Marlon Brando in terms of his genius, struggles, generosity, and paradoxes. Despite their disagreements on set, she expressed deep respect and admiration for Depp. She felt compelled to clarify her own story because she felt betrayed by the interview."

"Madame Du Barry" was a hit in France when it premiered in May, and Depp admitted at the U.K. premiere last month that he initially doubted his ability to play King Louis XV due to his upbringing in Kentucky.

Maïwenn was praised by him for her unwavering faith in him and her determination to bring "Jeanne Du Barry" to life. Since 2006, Maïwenn had expressed her desire to direct a film about Jeanne Du Barry.

"According to Variety, Depp stated, "I feel incredibly fortunate to have been offered the role – strangely, oddly, perversely fortunate. When Maïwenn and I first discussed the possibility of me playing Louis XV, the King of France, my brain immediately went back to Kentucky, where everything is fried. So I realized that I had come from nowhere and ended up playing the King of France.""

"He continued, "It made no sense to me, so I tried to talk her out of it. But she wasn't listening, and she had the courage to include me in her cast. Despite the agony of making a film for that length of time, I believe and hope that it was worth it.""

Although Depp's reputation has been harmed, Eldridge acknowledged that his talent is unquestionable.

Despite being widely underestimated, Johnny Depp is a highly skilled actor who has demonstrated his versatility through a variety of roles, including 'Platoon,' 'Edward Scissorhands,' 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape,' 'Wonka,' 'Jack Sparrow,' and 'Jeanne du Barry.'

He perfectly interprets each character he plays, to the point that when you look back, you can't imagine anyone else playing that role except Depp.

"The depth of Depp's talent is evident."