Johnny Depp: a first image of the actor as Louis XV in Jeanne du Barry, by Maïwenn

He swapped the costume of his trial for that of the "beloved" king.

For his return to the cinema, Johnny Depp will be Louis XV in

, by French director Maïwenn, who will play the title role.

The film, centered on the love story between the sovereign and his mistress, should see the light of day in 2023.

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To mark the start of filming which began on July 26 and which should last eleven weeks, the company Why Not Productions has unveiled a first image of the 59-year-old comedian in the role of the monarch.

In the photo, the father of Lily-Rose, 23, and Jack, 20, poses in profile, dressed in period clothing and a wig, with a black blindfold.

Filming takes place in Versailles and other castles in the Paris region.

Benjamin Lavernhe, Pierre Richard, Noémie Lvovsky, Melvil Poupaud, India Hair and Pascal Greggory are also part of the cast.

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The King's Last Favorite

The film tells the story of Jeanne du Barry, born into poverty, who uses her intelligence and her appearance to climb the rungs of the social ladder.

Thanks to her efforts, she became the favorite companion of Louis XV.

Then later moved to Versailles, where his arrival scandalized the court.

Jeanne du Barry

is Maïwenn's sixth feature film.

The third,

had won the jury prize at Cannes in 2011. In 2015,

had earned Emmanuelle Bercot that of the best actress in 2015.