Johnny Depp has been cast as the controversial French King Louis XV, his first major film role since being cancelled following accusations he abused his ex-wife Amber Heard.

The film will be directed by French filmmaker Maiwenn and is set to begin filming this summer, according to Variety.

Depp, 58, has been embroiled in controversy ever since he was accused of domestic violence by Heard.

The actor was fired from the latest Fantastic Beasts film after losing his defamation suit against The Sun, which he had sued for referring to him as a ‘wife-beater’ in regards to his relationship with Heard.

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Johnny Depp is set to play the controversial French King Louis XV, his first major film role since being cancelled following accusations he abused his ex-wife Amber Heard; Depp pictured L in 2021

The last time Depp appeared on big screens was in the 2020 film Minamata, which saw him play photojournalist W. Eugene Smith. He is currently filming the animated mini series Puffins.

No details about the plot of Depp’s newest film are known, however director Maiwenn will be playing the monarch’s last mistress, Jeanne du Barry, according to Variety.

The movie is set to be filmed over the course of three months at various landmarks in Paris, with most being shot at Versailles Palace.

Depp, who resided in France for many years with his now ex-partner Vanessa Paradis, will have to work on his French in the likely event the film is shot in that language. Variety notes his American accent is noticeable.

Depp, 58, has been embroiled in controversy ever since being accused of domestic violence by Heard, and was fired from the latest Fantastic Beasts film after losing his defamation suit against The Sun, which the actor had sued for referring to him as a ‘wife-beater’ in regards to his relationship with Heard; pictured 2016

Louis XV reigned for 59 years, the second longest reigning French monarch in history.

He gained popularity among his constituents during the War Of Austrian Succession, where he ‘took to the battlefield himself and seemed to take charge of the country’s leadership,’ according to Biography.com.

He was nicknamed by his constituents ‘Le Bien-Aime’ or ‘The Well-Loved’ after recovering from an illness in 1744.

But he was unpopular at the time of his death in May 10, 1774, after being accused of debauchery and corruption, according to Variety.

New role: Depp will be playing the second longest reigning French monarch in history in his new film

Depp has been enshrouded in controversy after being accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife Heard.

In July 2020 he lost a high-profile case at the High Court in London, after The Sun newspaper described him as a ‘wife beater’ and he sued.

Heard filed for divorce in 2016, accusing him of verbal and physical abuse, and she testified in London.

Depp lost his lucrative role in the Fantastic Beasts franchise in the aftermath of the case and was ultimately replaced by Mads Mikkelsen.

However last year Depp won the right to proceed with a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard in the U.S.

In July 2020 he lost a high-profile case at the High Court in London, after The Sun newspaper described him as a ‘wife beater’ and he sued.

Heard filed for divorce in 2016, accusing him of verbal and physical abuse, and she testified in London

Back in September Depp claimed he had become a victim of cancel culture, warning that ‘no one is safe’ and urging those affected to ‘stand up’ for themselves.

Speaking in the Spanish city of San Sebastian, before accepting an honorary award at the film festival, Depp said the situation had become ‘so out of hand.’

Depp told the audience in Spain that he saw himself as a victim, and was concerned about the wider implications for society.

Ahead of taking to the stage to accept his award, Depp offered his thoughts on cancel culture, and called on people to ‘stand up’ for those facing ‘injustice.’

Back in September Depp claimed he had become a victim of cancel culture, warning that ‘no one is safe’ and urging those affected to ‘stand up’ for themselves; pictured 2020

‘It can be seen as an event in history that lasted for however long it lasted, this cancel culture, this instant rush to judgement based on what essentially amounts to polluted air,’ he said, according to Deadline.

‘It’s so far out of hand now that I can promise you that no one is safe. Not one of you. No one out that door. No one is safe.

‘It takes one sentence and there’s no more ground, the carpet has been pulled.’

Depp said that his concern was not just for himself.

‘It’s not just me that this has happened to, it’s happened to a lot of people,’ he said.

‘This type of thing has happened to women, men.’

Depp lost his lucrative role in the Fantastic Beasts franchise in the aftermath of the case and was ultimately replaced by Mads Mikkelsen; pictured in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

He said: ‘It doesn’t matter if a judgement, per se, has taken some artistic license.

‘When there’s an injustice, whether it’s against you or someone you love, or someone you believe in – stand up, don’t sit down. Cause they need you.’

Depp was reported by Deadline to be happy to answer questions about the recent state of his career, amid his ongoing lawsuit against Heard.

But when a reporter asked about Spain’s Association of Female Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media, which released a statement saying the award ‘transmits a terrible message to the public’, a festival organizer stepped in and prevented him replying, insisting he would only speak about his career.

Depp later said that he was ‘worried’ that his presence at the festival would ‘offend people,’ and insisted he ‘didn’t want to offend anyone.’

He praised the event, its director Jose Luis Rebordinos, and the mayor of San Sebastian for their ‘undying support’.

He thanked them for ‘not buying what has been, for far too long, some notion of me that doesn’t exist’.

However last year Depp won the right to proceed with a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard in the U.S.

Depp added: ‘I haven’t done anything, I just make movies.’

Depp said that he was dismayed by the current state of the film industry, in particular how streaming had taken off.

He said many people – him included – realized they were disposable.

‘Hollywood is certainly not what it was,’ he responded.

‘The studio system, the grudge matches, the pandemonium and chaos of cinematic releases to streaming… it is a case of, ‘no matter what, I’m going to get mine’.

‘That’s where these people are coming from.

‘They realize they’re just a disposable as I am. Some more so.

‘Large, large corporations take control of these things. As someone who takes part in the creation of cinema, how much more formula do we need from the likes of studios? How much more condescension do we need as audiences?

‘I think that Hollywood has grotesquely underestimated the audience.’

Depp was asked about the future of his Pirates of the Caribbean role of Captain Jack Sparrow, and said that the character would never leave him, and that no one could ever take the character away from him.

He then delighted the crowd with an impromptu Captain Jack impression, Deadline reported.

His appearance in Spain came a month after he was cleared by a court to proceed with the $50 million defamation suit against Heard.

In August, a Virginia judge ruled that he can proceed with the litigation, based on a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she wrote saying she was a domestic violence survivor.

She did not mention Depp in the story, though she publicly accused him of abusing her in their 2016 split.