Demi Moore and Johnny Depp’s Returns to the Big Screen

Key Points

• Research suggests Demi Moore returned with The Substance in 2024, impactful in 2025 awards.
• It seems likely Johnny Depp is filming Day Drinker in 2025, marking his Hollywood comeback.
• Both are significant returns, with Moore’s film critically acclaimed and Depp’s upcoming.

Background

Demi Moore and Johnny Depp, both Hollywood icons, have recent projects marking their returns to the big screen, generating buzz in 2025.

Demi Moore’s Return

Demi Moore starred in The Substance, a 2024 body-horror film by Coralie Fargeat, playing Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading celebrity using a drug to create a younger self, with gory side effects. It premiered at Cannes 2024, released on MUBI October 31, 2024, and returned to theaters in January 2025 for awards, earning a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Johnny Depp’s Return

Johnny Depp is currently filming Day Drinker, directed by Marc Webb, starting April 14, 2025, in Spain, with Penélope Cruz and Madelyn Cline. It’s his first major Hollywood project since legal issues, set on a private yacht with a criminal underworld plot, with a first-look image showing his transformed look.

Background on Demi Moore and Johnny Depp

Demi Moore, born in 1962, is a veteran actress known for 1990s hits like Ghost and A Few Good Men. After a quieter period, she has been making a comeback, with The Substance marking a significant return. Johnny Depp, born in 1963, rose to fame with Edward Scissorhands and Pirates of the Caribbean, but faced career setbacks due to legal battles with Amber Heard, making his return with Day Drinker highly anticipated.

Demi Moore’s Return with The Substance

Demi Moore’s return to the big screen came with The Substance, a body-horror satire directed by Coralie Fargeat, released in 2024. The film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and was distributed by MUBI, with a theatrical release on September 20, 2024, in the U.S., followed by streaming on October 31, 2024, and a return to theaters on January 17, 2025, for awards season. In the film, Moore plays Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading TV fitness instructor who injects a serum for youth, leading to gory side effects as she shares time with her younger self, Sue, played by Margaret Qualley. The plot tackles themes of aging, self-doubt, and societal pressures, resonating with audiences and critics.

The Substance has been critically acclaimed, earning a 90% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 347 reviews, with the Critics Consensus stating, “Audaciously gross, wickedly clever, and possibly Demi Moore’s finest hour, The Substance is a gasp-inducing feat from writer-director Coralie Fargeat” (Rotten Tomatoes). It also received a 75% “fresh” rating on the RT Popcornmeter from over 1,000 verified user ratings. Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro praised it on X, calling it “the horror of losing oneself- the vertigo of surface- the betrayal of the flesh” (Green Tea). The film returned to theaters in January 2025 as part of its awards campaign, ahead of the 97th Academy Awards nominations on January 23, 2025, with Moore attending the nominees’ reception on February 25, 2025, in Los Angeles (Reuters).

Moore’s performance has been described as fearless, with reviews noting her tackling visceral feminist body horror, earning her best reviews of her career (The Guardian). At the Golden Globes in January 2025, she quoted an unnamed woman, saying, “Just know, you will never be enough. But you can know the value of your worth if you just put down the measuring stick,” reflecting the film’s message (Slate). Despite some criticism that it’s not 2025’s best performance, its impact is undeniable, with marketing using avant-garde imagery like a chicken bone and shiny hot pink exercise leotard, reaching 45 million online views across platforms (Wikipedia – The Substance).

Johnny Depp’s Return with Day Drinker

Johnny Depp’s return to Hollywood is marked by Day Drinker, an upcoming action thriller directed by Marc Webb, with production starting on April 14, 2025, in Spain. This marks his first major studio film since being fired from Fantastic Beasts in 2020, following his legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard, which concluded in 2022. In Day Drinker, Depp plays a mysterious guest on a private yacht, encountering a bartender (Madelyn Cline) and becoming entangled with a criminal figure (Penélope Cruz), uncovering unexpected connections. The film is Depp’s fourth collaboration with Cruz, following Blow (2001), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), and Murder on the Orient Express (2017), and also stars Manu Ríos, Arón Piper, Juan Diego Botto, and Anika Boyle.

Production began in Tenerife, Spain, with shooting locations including the Auditorio de Tenerife in Santa Cruz, as confirmed by multiple sources (Wikipedia – Day Drinker (film)). A first-look image released on April 14, 2025, shows Depp with gray hair and a beard, looking unrecognizable, holding a drink, which has generated buzz (Variety, People). Director Marc Webb expressed excitement, stating, “We’re in a beautiful location with a fantastic crew and a thrilling, ferocious story to tell,” highlighting the film’s coastal settings in France, Portugal, and Spain (The Daily Beast). The script is by Zach Dean, known for The Tomorrow War, and producers include John Wick franchise producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, along with Adam Kolbrenner (Entertainment Weekly).

Depp’s return is seen as a significant comeback, with industry insiders noting it’s a big deal after his career downturn, and fans are eager for his starring roles again, though exact release dates are not yet confirmed (World of Reel). Rumors of a Pirates of the Caribbean return have been mentioned, but fact-checks suggest they’re unconfirmed, with Day Drinker being his current focus (Koimoi).

Comparative Context and Industry Impact

Both returns highlight Hollywood’s appetite for veteran stars making comebacks, with Moore’s The Substance already a critical darling and Depp’s Day Drinker poised to reintroduce him to audiences. Moore’s film fits into the body-horror genre, drawing comparisons to David Cronenberg and Julia Ducournau, while Depp’s thriller aligns with his past action roles, though with a new, transformed look. Their projects reflect personal and professional resilience, with Moore overcoming self-doubt and Depp navigating legal controversies, both resonating with fans and critics in 2025.

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