Johnny Depp to Play Mr. Hyde in Ridley Scott’s New Series

Johnny Depp is stepping into a dark new role. The actor has officially joined “Hyde,” a new graphic novel series created by Ridley Scott and Mechanical Cake.

This new project is based on the classic story “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson. Depp will not only voice and help shape the character of Mr. Hyde, but the character will also share his face and appearance.

According to the creators, “Hyde” will tell a fresh story that takes place after Hyde defeats his other half, Dr. Jekyll. Now free, Hyde will explore his darker side without limits. He hides in London’s sewers, where he uses a strange serum to turn others into Hyde-like creatures. This version of Hyde will be more terrifying than ever.

Jesse Negron, who is the CEO of Mechanical Cake, came up with the idea for the series. He worked on the two-part story with writer Joe Matsumoto. Artists Gary Erskine and Chris Weston are bringing the project to life with their illustrations. Dave Elliott is serving as editor.

Negron said in a statement that working on “Hyde” felt special. He explained, “This is an incredible opportunity to build a studio-level project that goes directly from the creators to the audience, with no filters in between. ‘Hyde,’ like everything Mechanical Cake does, is a bit off the rails, in a good way.”

Depp himself also shared his excitement about joining the project. In his words, “To build within the world of Robert Louis Stevenson’s masterful characters and to be welcomed into the vision of Ridley Scott… and inexplicably having the opportunity to explore, it’s surprising to me. And hopefully surprising to him. It’s insane and beautiful to receive that trust from Ridley. A master.”

Ridley Scott, according to the release, didn’t hesitate to approve the project after seeing a first mockup. His reaction was simple: “It’s a no-brainer!”

Depp, Scott, and Mechanical Cake will all share ownership of the “Hyde” property. The first graphic novel in the series is set to launch this Halloween.

Fans will get a closer look at “Hyde” during San Diego Comic-Con. A panel called “‘Hyde’: When the Worlds of Graphic Novels and Movies Collide” will give more insight into how the creative team is working together to bring the story to life. Panel guests will include Jesse Negron, Dave Elliott, Tom Moran from Scott Free, Jason Forman from Infinitum Nihil, and Anthony Francisco.

Ridley Scott’s company, Scott Free, is also working with Mechanical Cake on two other graphic novel projects. These include a sci-fi crime series called “Modville” and a Norse-themed war story called “Nick.”

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