Johnny Depp’s Cannes Starrer ‘Jeanne du Barry’ Lands Domestic Distribution

Jeanne du Barry, the opening night from this year’s Cannes Film Festival that stars embattled actor Johnny Depp, will get a North American release.

Vertical has landed the domestic rights to the period drama, which was directed by and co-stars Maïwenn. Depp play King Louis XV and the film follows his relationship with Jeanne Vaubernier, a working-class woman who rises to the level of the king’s mistress.

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North American release plans, including theatrical, are not yet confirmed.

The $22 million budgeted feature, which was shot on location in France, including Versailles, has proven successful at the French box office with 401,481 admissions (or $2.56 million U.S.) in its first week of play, the best showing in a decade for a Cannes opening-night film in the country, according to French distributor Le Pacte.

Benjamin Lavernhe, Pierre Richard, Melvil Poupaud and Pascal Greggory also star in the movie. Teddy Lussi-Modeste and Nicolas Livecchi co-wrote the film with Maïwenn. Pascal Caucheteux and Grégoire Sorlat produced along with Maïwenn. Financing came from Red Sea Film Foundation; Goodfellas negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers.

Jeanne du Barry was seen as a controversial choice to open the Cannes Film Festival. Depp has been in a years-long legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, which includes allegations of domestic violence, during which time he has largely remained off-screen and away from red carpet events. Two high-profile defamation lawsuits have played out in public, one of which served Depp a victory this December.

At Cannes, Depp and Jeanne du Barry were met with a warm reception, including scores of fans out the Grand Lumiere theater and a prolonged standing ovation for the films.

The Hollywood Reporter review of the film reads, “It has a great setting, with many scenes shot in and around the real Palace of Versailles, and a great setup, with du Barry’s rags-to-riches-to-Roi Louis XV biography providing the main plot. But once all of that’s in place, Maïwenn doesn’t really do much with it.”

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