In a wide-ranging interview with Sara Wayland of Collider.com, producer Graham King confirms that his GK Films will start production in February 2010 on a “little movie” called The Tourist, starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. Variety reports that Optimum Releasing has already acquired distribution rights to The Tourist–welcome news, given the tough market for independent films. While King concedes that “it’s definitely more difficult” to produce movies now, he’s not letting the harsh economic climate deter him.

“I have a film coming out next month with Mel Gibson, [. . . ] Edge of Darkness. I’m really, really pleased with that,” King said. “I’m starting production on this little movie in February, with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp (called The Tourist), and I have a film in post[-production] with Johnny Depp, called Rum Diary. I have another film in post with Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley, called London Boulevard, and an animated film with Johnny Depp, directed by Gore Verbinski, coming out in March 2011, called Rango. So, I have a few things going on,” the producer said with his usual understatement.

Graham King’s motivation is simple: “I love it. I just love what I do. I’m just so lucky to do this and work with such great people, like Johnny and Leonardo DiCaprio [for whom he produced the Oscar-winning The Departed]. . . . We are all just friends and families.”

The Zone thanks Sleepy for the Graham King interview and Theresa for the distribution update. To read the Collider interview with Graham King, CLICK HERE. You can read more about The Tourist on the Zone’s News and Views forum. –Part-Time Poet