Before becoming the world-famous Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp debuted as a director and screenwriter with The Brave in 1997. This movie is based on a book by Gregory Mcdonald.
It’s about a Native American man who decides to die in a snuff film for $50,000 to help his family. The movie’s theme of family sacrifice is central, but it had a tragic start. The director, Aziz Ghazal, was selected but tragically killed his daughter and wife before taking his own life just days before filming was set to start.
This movie marked Depp’s first directional debut. The actor co-wrote the screenplay with his brother. Initially screened at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, it got mostly negative reviews. So, the film was released in theaters and on DVD worldwide but not in the United States.
Johnny Depp Faced Criticism for His Directional Debut Film
The project for the movie was put on hold until Johnny Depp took an interest in it. He reworked the script with his brother, D.P. Depp. With Depp and Marlon Brando in the cast (Brando played McCarthy, the man funding the snuff film), finding the finances was initially easy.
But, the City of Lies star didn’t want to give distribution rights to the U.S. because he was concerned that a U.S. distributor “badger” him “beyond belief” to make changes to cater to American audiences’ tastes.
When The Brave premiered at Cannes in 1997, it received mixed reviews — especially from American critics who were not pleased with it. Over time, its reception hasn’t improved, and Depp, as the lead actor, director, and co-writer, faced most of the criticism.
Johnny Depp Decided Not to Release His Directional Debut Film in the U.S.
Even though the movie featured some big names like Marlon Brando, Marshall Bell, Elpida Carrillo, and Luis Guzmán, The Brave proved to be a financial flop. Anyways, it remains a dark, hidden gem of Johnny Depp’s career.
The movie resulted in a financial loss of approximately $2 million for Depp because he covered more than a quarter of the film’s budget from his own funds. Due to harsh criticism, the Hollywood star chose not to release his debut film in the United States. He said (via The Things): “It was like an attack on me – how dare I direct a movie?”
The movie even had a very small release in France, but reviews were so devastating for the director that even after still holding U.S. distribution rights, he chose not to release The Brave in the United States. He said he’s fine with keeping it “in a vault and let it sit.”
