Johnny Depp is reportedly being eyed for the starring role in an upcoming biopic about the late cryptocurrency billionaire Matthew Mellon.
The 55-year-old icon is said to be keen on playing the American businessman, who died aged 54 while attending a rehabilitation centre in Mexico, where he’d been trying to tackle his opioid dependency.
A source told the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six column that Depp is keen on the role, although a rep for the actor has remained tight-lipped about the speculation.
Regarding the possibility of making a movie about Mellon’s life, the insider explained to the newspaper: "This may be fulfilling a dream of Matthew’s. He would have loved this idea … He used to say, ‘How cool would it be to have a movie about my crazy life?’"
Some family members of the billionaire are reported to be keen on the thought of making a movie, while others are "horrified by the idea".
The source added: "The last thing they want is the Mellon legacy portrayed on-screen."
Meanwhile, Depp previously admitted he feels a responsibility to produce something "different" each time he stars in a movie.
The veteran actor – whose biggest hits include ‘Edward Scissorhands’ and the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise – revealed he worries about boring his own audience.
He said: "One of your great responsibilities not only to the director, yourself, or the film but one of your great responsibilities is to try to do something different each time for the audience. Your great responsibility is to not bore your audience."
Johnny Depp to play cryptocurrency billionaire Matthew Mellon?
