Next year, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will bring The Rum Diary to Blu-ray. Directed by Bruce Robinson (Withnail and I), this adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s early novel stars Johnny Depp (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) as Paul Kemp, a journalist working for a newspaper in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

While Kemp is initially content with plunging into San Juan’s debauched underworld for his own amusement, he finds his moral compass tested when he becomes involved with a corrupt American businessman (Aaron Eckhart, The Dark Knight) and his beautiful young fiancée (Amber Heard, Drive Angry).

Sony’s Blu-ray presents the film in its 1.85:1 aspect ratio with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. The disc also contains a number of bonus features, including:

Two behind-the-scenes featurettes:

• A Voice Made of Ink and Rage: Inside The Rum Diary
• The Rum Diary Back-Story

The Rum Diary streets on February 14th, 2012.

I updated the gallery with around 100 scans with Johnny from various magazines in 2011. Huge thanks to Kelly for the EW ones and  to Poppet@JDZ for the Empire ones. Credits for everything else goes to Elmira:

• [x080] Scans in 2011 - Misc Clippings
• [x002] Scans in 2011 - November 4th: Entertainment Weekly
• [x003] Scans in 2011 - November 25th: Elle France
• [x004] Scans in 2011 – November: Empire

Johnny is on the cover of another magazine this month. This time we’re talking about GQ Magazine December issue which has a multiple page feature for Johnny. Scans and article are bellow:

• [x011] Scans in 2011 – December: GQ Magazine

At 48, Johnny Depp shouldn’t make any sense. The punk kid turned blockbuster box-office pirate; the heartthrob who longed for (and achieved) indie credibility; Hollywood’s most bankable enigma. This month, with the release of Hunter S Thompson’s The Rum Diary, the actor is on a personal crusade to honour the gonzo legend – and all the insanity he stood for. GQ finds a man unchanged by the weight of global fame: Johnny Depp, just as we like him, straight, no chaser. Buy the ticket, take the ride…

Those terrible 40 seconds would have moved even the most sceptical man to prayer, but Johnny Depp, remember­ing the trauma, responds with a deep, sonorous laugh.

I mention how film director Bruce Robinson, who was sitting next to Depp when their private jet lost power to all systems over the Pacific, had told me that the actor reacted with similar amusement at the time, contemplating what might have been the last scene in an extraordinary life.

“There was a moment when I thought: Jesus Christ, we’ve had it,” Depp tells me. “We were on a recce for The Rum Diary in Mexico. And the plane just shuts down. Big time. All the lights go out.” He can’t stop himself from laughing again. “Then we go into a strange, uncontrolled descent. I looked at Bruce and said: ‘Is this it?’ And then we both burst out laughing, as we were plunging to what seemed to be our deaths. It felt so f***ing ludicrous it was hysterical. And so we lost it. Laughing our asses off as the plane was going down.”

“And then?”

“Everything kicked back in. We made it through.”

Read more… »

After the “Rum Diary” Premiere in Paris Johnny made a series of appearances on Paris TV and Radio station to promote the film. Pictures and links are bellow:

• [x001] Appearances in 2011 - November 9th: Europe 1 with Nikos Aliagas
• [x001] Appearances in 2011 - November 24th: Le Grand Journal
• [x066] Captures in 2011 – November 24th: Le Grand Journal
  
• [x123] Captures in 2011 – November 25th: 20 Heures on France2
• [Audio] Depp: “Vivre en France est compliqué avec les impôts”
• [Video] The Rum Diary 20 Heures France2
• [Video] Les premières images du “Grand Journal” avec Johnny
  

Johnny covers Aspen Peak Winter 2011/Spring 2012 issue. Scans can be found in the gallery (credit: Theresa@JDZ) and you can also check the article from their official website bellow:

• [x008] Scans in 2011 - Winter: Aspen Peak

Douglas Brinkley gives an exclusive glimpse into the making of The Rum Diary and unveils a mentorship documented in Johnny’s own tattoos.

When Johnny Depp strapped on his strat guitar at the Hiro Ballroom in New York City on October 25, the midnight crowd roared. Cell phone cameras were lifted like candles at a vigil; people wanted proof that they saw the real Captain Jack Sparrow, Mad Hatter, Willy Wonka, and Edward Scissorhands, to show off to friends.

Just a few hours earlier Depp had attended the premiere of his hijinks film The Rum Diary—in which he plays the young Hunter S. Thompson in late 1950s-early 1960s Puerto Rico—at the Museum of Modern Art. The movie is based on the debut novel of Thompson in his pre-Gonzo days. Depp was set to jam with a group of his favorite all-star musicians, when suddenly Keith Richards hopped on stage. Depp grinned and the two launched into Jazz Gillum’s expansive “Key to the Highway.” Undergirded with a slow-tempo beat, the Richards-Depp deep-muddy blues session began. Bringing the Rolling Stones guitarist on stage was all part of Depp’s ongoing mission to honor the legacy of Gonzo journalism’s high priest.

Read more… »

I found some new stills with Johnny as Paul Kemp in “The Rum Diary” and also updated the ones we already have with HQ untagged versions!

• [x003] Movies: The Rum Diary – Film Posters
  
• [x023] Movies: The Rum Diary – Production Stills

I filled the gallery with tons of photos from the past couple of months, most of them in HQ! Be sure to check them all and enjoy your favorite man:

• [x068] Appearances in 2011 – October 13th: “The Rum Diary” Photocall
  
• [x410] Appearances in 2011 – October 25th: “The Rum Diary” New York Premiere
  
• [x005] Appearances in 2011 – October 25th: “The Rum Diary” New York Premiere – Afterparty
  
• [x063] Appearances in 2011 – October 26th: Arriving at Letterman show
  
• [x012] Appearances in 2011 – November 3rd: Graham Norton Show
  
• [x313] Appearances in 2011 – November 3rd: “The Rum Diary” London Premiere
  
• [x011] Appearances in 2011 – November 3rd: “The Rum Diary” London Premiere – Afterparty
  
• [x026] Appearances in 2011 – November 5th: Arriving at the Oxford Union
  
• [x176] Appearances in 2011 – November 8th: “Rhum Express” Paris Photocall
  
• [x162] Appearances in 2011 – November 8th: “Rhum Express” Paris Premiere
  

I updated the gallery with all the latest events Johnny attended the past couple of days. Also stay tunned cause really soon we’ll update the site with a brand new design!

• [x261] Appearances in 2011 – October 13th: “The Rum Diary” Los Angeles Premiere
  
• [x019] Appearances in 2011 – October 13th: “The Rum Diary” Photocall
  
• [x045] Appearances in 2011 – October 17th: At UC Berkeleys Wheeler Auditorium
  
• [x012] Appearances in 2011 – October 21st: Austin FF – Extraordinary Contribution to Film Award
  
• [x101] Appearances in 2011 – October 21st: Austin Film Festival – “Ther Rum Diary” Screening
  
• [x029] Appearances in 2011 – October 22nd: Continental Club in Austin
  
• [x012] Appearances in 2011 – October 22nd: “The Rum Diary” Chicago Screening

Yesterday was the world premiere of “The Rum Diary”! Johnny was there of course giving some autographs to his crazy fans (oh I wish I was there too).  I updated the gallery with some photos and also added some pics of the day before when Johnny posed during the official “Rum Diary” press junket.

• [x013] Appearances in 2011 - October 12th: “The Rum Diary” press junket in Los Angeles
  
• [x058] Appearances in 2011 - October 13th: “The Rum Diary” Los Angeles Premiere

On October 11th, Johnny attended Haute Living art exhibit at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles:

He’s also going to appear on CNN with Larry King on October 16 at 8PM ET/11PM ET/ 2AM ET which was actually taped on October 10th so we already have some photos:

• [x015] Appearances in 2011 – October 11th: Haute Living art exhibit at Chateau Marmont in LA
  
• [x004] Appearances in 2011 – October 16th: Larry King Interview