CinemaCon Announces the Release of The Rum Diary
“The Rum Diary,” based on Hunter S. Thompson’s novel published in 1998, will be released on October 28, 2011. “Hunter S. Thompson became close with Johnny Depp during the filming of “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and showed Depp the unpublished manuscript for “The Rum Diary,” says producer and FilmDistrict co-founder, Graham King. “I am extremely proud to bring this novel to film and to honor Hunter’s legacy.”
The film will star Johnny Depp and will enlist actors Aaron Eckhart, Giovanni Ribisi, Amber Heard, Michael Rispoli, and Richard Jenkins as main characters in the film. GK Films, Film Engine, and Infinitum Nihil, the production company headed by Depp and Christi Dembrowski, will produce the film along with Graham King, Tim Headington, Anthony Rhulen, Robert Kravis.
“The Rum Diary” is the late 1950’s tale of journalist Paul Kemp who leaves the madness and chaos of New York and adopts an alcohol-infused, manic lifestyle in Puerto Rico writing for a downtrodden local San Juan paper. Paul becomes involved with a beautiful American woman, Chenault (Heard) and her property businessman fiancée, Sanderson (Eckhart) and finds within this rum-filled world of lust and jealousy the value of his integrity and his true voice as a writer.
Peter Schlessel, CEO of FilmDistrict and President of GK Films, says, “The Rum Diary” is a special project for all of us here, as it is a true collaboration between both of our entities. Depp gives an extraordinary performance in this remarkable adaptation.”