First Look: Johnny Depp as Colonel Joll in ‘Waiting for the Barbarians’

Colonel Joll, who leads the Third Bureau of the Empire, is at his sinister best, and there are barbarians out there waiting for him. Johnny Depp looks all fit and is prepared to charge in the first look of the upcoming movie ‘Waiting for the Barbarians.’ Based on J.M. Coetzee’s novel of the same name, the movie features Depp as the villainous Colonel Joll, reports THR. Mark Rylance is also seen alongside Depp in the first look. Robert Pattinson also plays a major role in the colonial drama.

‘Waiting for the Barbarians’ is directed by Ciro Guerra and the plot centers on the moral crisis of a loyal servant, the Magistrate, played by Rylance, of the Empire. He works in a remote frontier township which is under constant threat of the barbarians. As rebels defying the Empire’s supremacy, the barbarians are roaming around the border challenging the officers. When the Magistrate is charged with treason, the Empire sends a new warrant officer Mandel, played by Robert Pattinson, to replace the defector.

Moreover, the Empire assigns the ruthless Colonel Joll, played by Depp with his special forces expedition team called the Third Bureau, to hunt down the barbarians. Colonel is known for his brutal public torture methods. Soon, the sleepy border township becomes a bloody mess with gunshots, war cries and sheer displays of bravery and cowardice. Mandel is torn between his duty to the Empire and his conscience in the midst of conflict. The novel is described as a “startling allegory of the war between oppressor and oppressed.”

The movie is produced by Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi’s AMBI Media Group, Ievolino’s TaTaTu, as well as Michael Fitzgerald and Olga Segura. ‘Waiting for Barbarians’ is a part of a deal between Johnny Depp and producer Andrea Iervolino which was signed last year, to develop and produce film and digital content. Depp’s Infinitum Nihil production will work hand in hand with Iervolino’s social entertainment platform TaTaTu as per the partnership deal, reports Variety.

“In this era of democratized entertainment, I admire the imaginative ethos of Andrea and look forward to collaborating together in a liberating, progressive manner that will befit the principals of our respective entities,” Depp is quoted as saying in the Variety report.

“Johnny has the ability to conceptualize material in a way that few can, and is unburdened of conventional industry formulas that dictate the projects that get made, traditionally. As we make strides to embrace disruptiveness, Johnny will be a key collaborator with us and we are tremendously excited to back his visions and instincts on stories to bring to life,” said Iervolino in the report. ‘Waiting for Barbarians’ also marks Depp’s return to indie cinema after his long spell with the Pirates.

Cover Image Courtesy: AMBI

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