Sensing that the sudden rush of TV series adaptations of classic literature might quickly deplete our reserves of old things that Johnny Depp can put himself in, Johnny Depp has staked a claim on all of William Shakespeare's plays for a scripted series he will produce, thus ensuring he can put his name on them somehow. Deadline reports that Depp's Infinitum Nihil has partnered with Yellow Bird Productions (the company behind Sweden's Girl With The Dragon Tattoo movies) and Copper producer Tom Fontana for a period drama show that will be, yea verily, a "modern take" on the entirety of the Bard's plays, borrowing their characters and plots, blending them together, and adding their own interpretations and delightfully capricious whimsies to make a weekly Shakespeare And Pals series, like a Justice League led by Romeo, Othello, and Hamlet taking on Iago's Legion of Doom, mostly by dying a lot. Or something—details are still sketchy—but all other networks that, like Fox and their Hamlet: D.C. Nights, were planning a "modern-day take" on Shakespeare just felt the sting of Depp.
Join the discussion...