Johnny Depp and "Doctor Strange" had a date with Hollywood trade journalists on Tuesday, following a report from the website Latino Review that claimed Depp had met with Marvel to discuss the property.
"A well-connected source informed me tonight that Johnny Depp has taken a meeting with Marvel to discuss taking on the role of Dr. Strange," Latino Review's Mario-Francisco Robles wrote in his piece. In breaking the story, Robles acknowledged that Depp's involvement in "Doctor Strange" would require some scheduling gymnastics, owing to the fact that he's attached to another "Pirates of the Caribbean" film as well as "Alice in Wonderland 2," projects that would conflict with Marvel's timeline for the comic adaptation. (Marvel is owned by Disney, the studio behind Depp's blockbuster franchises.) "While they have Depp on the hook for another Pirates film, it is believed they would shift that production around if he does agree to sign on the dotted line for Marvel," Robles noted.
The Latino Review story was later confirmed by Variety, until it wasn't: the trade, which initially wrote that a meeting between Depp and Marvel took place, walked back its story. "Sources tell Variety that such talks have yet to take place and any possibility of such a pairing is premature," Marc Graser wrote for Variety.
That was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter's Borys Kit on Twitter:
According to Marvel, there are no meetings nor talks taking place between the co. and Depp and no talks for Doc Strange.
— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) January 14, 2014
Variety has already slid back their "early talks" story.
— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) January 14, 2014
Deadline.com's Mike Fleming weighed in as well. "The story’s being bannered by Variety online, but don’t dress for it," he wrote in a three-sentence post that also confirmed the Depp was contacted by Marvel, but talks "never went anywhere." (Variety and Deadline.com are both owned by Penske Media Corporation.)
All of which brings us back to the original Latino Review report:
That Deadline piece is hilarious. It confirms the scoop, while attempting to dismiss it. #Marvel #Depp
— Mario-F. Robles (@LatinoReviewMFR) January 14, 2014
The scoop WAS that they met. So how is there suddenly "NO TRUTH" when you reveal your sources CONFIRMED a meeting? #Marvel
— Mario-F. Robles (@LatinoReviewMFR) January 14, 2014
So,folks,the latest- according to Deadline's sources-is that I was right. Marvel and Depp did meet! It seemingly went no where.But they met.
— Mario-F. Robles (@LatinoReviewMFR) January 14, 2014
For more on the Depp rumor-non-rumor-rumor, head to Latino Review.
Before You Go
