Johnny Depp to play Satan in Monty Python star Terry Gilliam's upcoming film

Johnny Depp has been cast as Satan in the upcoming Terry Gilliam movie The Carnival At The End Of Days.

Gilliam, the American-born British filmmaker, has described the movie as an apocalyptic comedy, which will also feature God and Adam and Eve.

Depp, 60, has worked with the 83-year-old Monty Python star before, most notably in the 1998 Hunter S Thompson film adaptation of Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas.

It will be Depp’s second feature film since the conclusion of his high-profile defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard in the US two years ago.

Depp’s last big-screen role was in the French historical drama Jeanne Du Barry, in which he played King Louis XV, and which premiered at Cannes Film Festival last year.

‘A comedy where God decides to destroy humanity’

Gilliam is known for his instantly recognisable animated collages, which were famously used in the opening credits of Monty Python.

Speaking about his new project with French film magazine Première, Gilliam described it as “a comedy where God decides to destroy humanity. And the only one trying to save us is Satan because he needs people in hell, otherwise he won’t have a job for eternity”.

Gilliam also confirmed that Jeff Bridges will play God in the movie, depicted in the form of “nature” and using “animation to bring it to life”.

Additionally, Gilliam said the cast will include Adam Driver and Jason Momoa, although their roles are yet to be revealed.

Momoa’s most famous role to date has been that of Aquaman, opposite Depp’s ex-wife Heard who plays Mera in the DC Comics franchise.

Gilliam said the movie will feature “a modern Adam and Eve,” adding of the casting, “Now we need a woman to complete all that”.

‘Offensive and expensive’

Gilliam teased that the film would be “very expensive” and “very funny for those who like to be offended”.

He confirmed that work would start on the film in January 2025.

It will be Depp’s second feature film since successfully suing Heard in 2022 over an article she wrote for The Washington Post about her experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse, which his lawyers said falsely accused him of being an abuser.

Depp lost a 2020 libel case against the publishers of The Sun newspaper after a High Court judge found that Depp had assaulted Heard during their relationship.

Depp, who was replaced in the role of Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise in 2020, accused Hollywood of shunning him after losing the case.

A release date for The Carnival At The End Of Days is yet to be announced.