JohnnyDepp-Zone.com

The Zone fondly remembers Dr. Hunter S. Thompson on the first anniversary of his passing. A force like the Good Doctor can never really pass away; his energy continues to circulate in his brilliant writing, and in the ideas and memories we carry with us daily. Liz and DeppintheHeartofTexas will host a memorial thread on ONBC beginning at 3 p.m. EST. Please stop by and share your memories in the company of others who loved HST.

One way to mark Hunter’s anniversary is to read his work; another is to read remembrances by those who knew him well. Theresa has posted a message from Hunter’s widow, Anita Thompson, on the News & Views board; at ONBC, gilly shared Randy Ray’s interview with BREAKFAST WITH HUNTER filmmaker Wayne Ewing: “When you live next door to a living legend and you’re a filmmaker AND that man next door happens to be one of the greatest writers of the 20th Century . . . well then . . . get the camera and head out the front door,” writes Ray. Fortunately for us, that’s exactly what Wayne Ewing did.

Thanks very much to Liz, DITHOT, theresa and gilly, for helping us mark this day in a way suitable to Hunter’s indomitable spirit. Our hearts go out to Anita and Juan Thompson and Hunter’s legion of friends. If you would like to purchase a Gonzo lapel pin or a black T-shirt with the Gonzo emblem to wear in HST’s memory, they are available HERE.

Johnny Depp has withdrawn from the upcoming film THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY, according to producer Frank Marshall. Johnny was to play Elle France editor Jean-Dominique Bauby in the biopic; Bauby suffered a stroke at the age of 43 and was left completely paralyzed, except for his left eye. Nonetheless, Bauby managed to use his eye to blink out a haunting memoir which not only described how it felt to be trapped inside an unmoving body, but also included the journeys he took in his imagination. Julian Schnabel, who directed Johnny in BEFORE NIGHT FALLS, is set to direct THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY; a script by Ronald Harwood, who won an Oscar in 2003 for THE PIANIST, has been ready for nearly a year. Unfortunately the project fell victim to Johnny’s crowded schedule: “Everybody wants Johnny these days,” producer Marshall told entertainment reporter Louis B. Hobson. “We couldn’t hold him to the project, so we’re in the process of casting a French actor to fill the role. Johnny really wanted the role but he won’t be available for a couple of years, and we couldn’t wait.”

Thanks to emma for breaking the story on the Zone’s News & Views forum; you can read Marshall’s comments HERE. The next project for Johnny, when the third PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN movie is completed, is likely to be Peter Weir’s film of SHANTARAM; another project receiving a great deal of buzz recently is a film version of J.P. Donleavy’s classic Irish novel, THE GINGER MAN, to be directed by THE LIBERTINE’s Laurence Dunmore.