City-of-Lies-Official-Poster

Johnny Depp's Biggie Smalls movie pulled from release schedule; Viper Room sold for possible redevelopment

City of Lies, the new Johnny Depp / Forest Whitaker crime thriller about the unsolved Biggie Smalls murder investigation, was supposed to hit theaters on September 7 but has now been pulled from that release date with no rescheduled date announced. For a film about cover-ups and conspiracies, this may fuel some Biggie theorists’ fires, though the September release date — long known as a Hollywood “dumping ground” month for films of questionable quality — didn’t inspire much faith to begin with. Here’s the synopsis:

Based on the true story of one of the most notorious and unsolved cases in recent memory, CITY OF LIES is a provocative thriller revealing a never-before-seen look at the infamous murder of The Notorious B.I.G. shortly following the death of Tupac Shakur. L.A.P.D. detective Russell Poole (Johnny Depp) has spent years trying to solve his biggest case, but after two decades, the investigation remains open. “Jack” Jackson (Forest Whitaker), a reporter desperate to save his reputation and career, is determined to find out why. In search of the truth, the two team up and unravel a growing web of institutional corruption and lies. Relentless in their hunt, these two determined men threaten to uncover the conspiracy and crack the foundation of the L.A.P.D. and an entire city. Based on the nonfiction book LAbyrinth, written by Randall Sullivan.

You can watch the City of Lies trailer below while wondering when the film may see the light of day.

In other Johnny Depp news, The Viper Room — the West Hollywood / Sunset Strip club he co-owned in the 1990s and was the site of River Phoenix’s fatal 1993 overdose — has been sold, Variety reports, along with some adjacent properties, for $80 million, with redevelopment being likely. Depp sold his interest in the club, which was a major celeb hangout for a while, in 2004.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=809D5d77rsU