Johnny Depp is officially back on the big screen — and this time, he's bringing some old friends along for the ride. Lionsgate just released the first teaser trailer for Day Drinker, a revenge thriller that reunites the sixty-three-year-old actor with Penélope Cruz and pairs them both with rising star Madelyn Cline. The eerie footage — tarot cards, candlelight, and a very unsettling Depp — has fans buzzing about what's shaping up to be one of the strangest comeback vehicles in recent memory. Here's everything you need to know about Day Drinker, from the plot to the release date.
Key Facts:
- Day Drinker hits theaters exclusively on March 26, 2027, via Lionsgate.
- The film reunites Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz for a third time on screen.
- Marc Webb, director of (500) Days of Summer and The Amazing Spider-Man, is behind the camera.
- Madelyn Cline stars fresh off wrapping Outer Banks after five seasons.
- The story centers on a yacht bartender, a mysterious guest, and a dangerous criminal figure.
What Day Drinker Is About
The setup sounds simple — until it isn't. Lionsgate's official synopsis describes the film as centering on a private-yacht bartender, played by Cline, who encounters a mysterious onboard guest played by Depp. From there, things get complicated fast: the pair become entangled with a dangerous criminal figure played by Cruz, while discovering they're connected in ways they never anticipated.
That's the tidy version, anyway. One reviewer who caught the trailer noted the synopsis is "deceptively simple (or possibly just deceptive)" — a fair warning, given the trailer hints at John Wick-style revenge beats layered on top of something stranger. There also appear to be supernatural elements woven in, with some viewers speculating Cruz's character may be a witch.
The Trailer, Explained
The first full trailer leans into mood over exposition. In it, a grey-haired Depp intones ominously, "My story? Perhaps it's a tale of revenge. Or perhaps something worse." He goes on to wonder aloud whether the whole thing might be "a ghost story" before landing on the title's own explanation for himself.
A day earlier, a short teaser had already set the tone. That 19-second clip showed a deck of tarot cards on a table surrounded by lit candles, followed by a single frame of Depp in character, with an axe crashing down into the cards as his voice growled a blunt warning that he wasn't finished yet. It's a striking, off-kilter introduction — and notably, Depp's accent shifts between clips, described by different outlets as everything from Scottish to Irish, which has only added to the trailer's strange, unplaceable energy.
Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz, Reunited Again
This isn't the first time Depp and Cruz have shared the screen — not even close. The two have now worked together three times, having previously co-starred in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Blow, along with Murder on the Orient Express. Their chemistry has long been a draw for fans, and Day Drinker marks their first project together in years.
For Cruz, the film arrives amid a packed slate. She recently starred in the drama La Bola Negra and has an upcoming romantic comedy on the way, joining a cast that includes Kieran Culkin, Jude Law, and Owen Wilson. Her range continues to expand well beyond the action-thriller space Day Drinker occupies.
Meet Madelyn Cline's Character
While Depp and Cruz bring the star power of a decades-long collaboration, Cline is the newcomer holding the story's center. This marks her first major film role since wrapping Outer Banks, the Netflix series that made her a star as Sarah Cameron, which ended its run after five seasons. Stepping into a psychological thriller opposite two Oscar-caliber co-stars is a notable next move for the actor, and early trailer buzz suggests her character is far more than a bystander to Depp and Cruz's chaos.
Depp's Bigger Hollywood Comeback
Day Drinker doesn't exist in a vacuum. The film represents the second major Depp-led title to launch a trailer in recent months, following the first footage from Ti West's A Christmas Carol remake, Ebenezer, which dropped earlier this year. With Ebenezer landing in November and Day Drinker following in March 2027, the two films together mark a notable return for Depp following the fallout from his 2022 defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard.
It's a deliberate, high-profile push back into studio filmmaking — one that hinges heavily on nostalgia (the Cruz reunion) paired with a swing at something genuinely offbeat (the tarot-and-axes tone of Day Drinker itself).
When You Can See Day Drinker
Mark your calendars: Day Drinker opens exclusively in theaters on March 26, 2027, distributed by Lionsgate. The film was written by Zach Dean and produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Adam Kolbrenner, Dean, and Nathan Kahane. No streaming date has been announced, and given the theatrical-first release strategy, don't expect one for a while after the premiere.
Between the eerie trailer, the star-studded reunion, and the sheer unpredictability of its tone, Day Drinker has quickly become one of 2027's most-watched releases. Keep it here for more on the film as new details, trailers, and premiere news roll in.
