Johnny Depp linked to South American drug smuggling thriller ‘Triple Frontier’

Although Johnny Depp missed out on an Oscar nomination for his performance as Whitey Bulger in Black Mass, it doesn’t mean that he won’t stop trying to make serious work. The actor is reportedly in talks for a Paramount crime thriller called Triple Frontier.

Sources told Variety that Depp is in early talks, but is far from signing on. The Hollywood Reporter only says that Depp was offered one of the four lead roles and did not say that Depp was in talks already.

Triple Frontier has been in the works since 2009 and Kathryn Bigelow was once attached to director. However, the director’s chair will now be occupied by J.C. Chandor, whose last film was A Most Violent Year.

The story centers on drug smuggling and organized crime in South america, specifically along the border of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. It was written by Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker), who is producing with Atlas Entertainment’s Alex Gartner and Charles Roven.

Will Smith was attached at one point, but he decided to make Collateral Beauty instead. Tom Hanks is circling one of the leads.

Depp earned some of his best reviews in years for Black Mass, but the film ran out of steam during the awards season. He wasn’t even nominated for a Golden Globe, although he did nab a SAG Award nomination. He’ll next be seen in Disney’s Alice Through The Looking Glass in May.