Johnny Depp's long climb back toward studio prominence gained another marker this week with the arrival of the first trailer for "Day Drinker," an action thriller that reunites him with Penélope Cruz and places the pair at the center of a sun-soaked crime story. The film, directed by Marc Webb, is scheduled to reach theaters on March 25, 2027.

The footage introduces Depp as a bartender working aboard a cruise ship whose routine is upended by a mysterious passenger who spends her days drinking. Cruz plays that woman, and the trailer suggests the two characters are pulled into a criminal underworld that operates well beyond the decks of the ship. According to the official synopsis, the pair become "entangled in a criminal underbelly and connected in unexpected ways," a line that hints at a twist-driven relationship at the heart of the plot.

A Reunion Years in the Making

Depp and Cruz share a long professional history. The two actors previously appeared together in "Blow" (2001) and "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (2011), and their pairing here is being positioned as a central selling point. The trailer leans heavily on their chemistry, cutting between dimly lit bar encounters and more explosive sequences that suggest the film's action ambitions.

For Depp, "Day Drinker" represents a further step in a comeback that has gathered momentum over the past two years. After a period in which he was largely absent from major Hollywood releases, the actor has returned to the spotlight through a mix of European productions and high-profile festival appearances. This project marks one of his most conventional studio offerings in years, and its placement on the 2027 calendar signals that distributors are willing to bet on his continued draw.

A Broader Ensemble

Webb, best known for "500 Days of Summer" and "The Amazing Spider-Man," directs from a screenplay whose writer has not been confirmed in the materials released so far. The cast extends beyond the two leads. Madelyn Cline, Manu Ríos, Arón Piper, Juan Diego Botto and Anika Boyle round out the ensemble, giving the film a blend of established stars and younger performers with devoted followings.

Cline has become a familiar name to streaming audiences, while Ríos and Piper have built substantial profiles through Spanish-language television. Botto is a veteran of both Spanish and international productions. The mix suggests Webb is aiming for a cast that can appeal across multiple markets, even though the film is an English-language Hollywood production.

What the Trailer Shows - and Withholds

The preview runs at a brisk pace, opening with images of ocean water and shipboard romance before shifting into a darker register. Cruz's character is presented as an enigma: she drinks during the day, seems to know more than she lets on, and appears to have ties to people who wish her harm. Depp's bartender, initially a bystander, is drawn into her orbit and quickly finds himself in over his head.

Specific plot details remain under wraps. The trailer avoids explaining how the two are connected, and no runtime has been announced. The film's rating on TMDb currently stands at 0/10, a figure that reflects the absence of audience votes rather than any critical assessment - a common placeholder for titles that have not yet screened publicly.

"We wanted the audience to feel the heat of the setting and the unease of not knowing who to trust," Webb said in a statement accompanying the trailer's release. "The movie moves fast, but the emotional core is these two people discovering how much they mean to each other."

Timing and Expectations

The March 2027 release places "Day Drinker" in a corridor that has recently proven hospitable to mid-budget thrillers with recognizable stars. It also gives Depp another opportunity to demonstrate that his return is not a novelty but a sustained second act. Whether audiences embrace the film will depend in part on how the campaign develops over the coming months, including a second trailer expected closer to release.

For now, the trailer does its job: it establishes a mood, showcases its leads, and leaves enough unanswered to generate conversation. Depp and Cruz together again, on a cruise ship, with guns and secrets - that is the pitch, and it is being made without apology.

"Day Drinker" opens in U.S. theaters on March 25, 2027.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter