"Pirates of the Caribbean" star
Johnny Depp is set to star as celebrated war photographer
W. Eugene Smith in the upcoming biopic
"Minamata". The film is based on the book
"Minamata: The Story of the Poisoning of a City, and of the People Who Chose to Carry the Burden of Courage", written by Smith and his wife,
Aileen Mioko Smith.
Andrew Levitas (
"Lullaby") will direct the film from an adaptation penned by
David K. Kessler. Filming is scheduled to begin in Japan, followed by Serbia in January.
Smith achieved recognition as a war photographer during World War II, and is credited with being a pioneer in developing the "editorial photo essay". The film is set in the 1950s, when Smith's glory days were far behind him, and he became a recluse. But an old friend and a commission from Life Magazine editor Ralph Graves convinced him to journey back to Japan to expose a big story: the devastating annihilation of a coastal community through mercury poisoning.
The story is being billed as a "real life David versus Goliath story" as Smith takes on the powerful corporation responsible for the poisoning the people of Minamata. The victims' case against the corporation responsible for this environmental disaster represents one of the biggest payouts of all time, with present-day sufferers of Minamata disease still in court today seeking compensation.
Levitas spoke about Depp's casting:
"Working with Johnny to give voice to those who have been silently suffering is a responsibility we do not take lightly. Much like Eugene Smith in 1971, we could not feel more privileged or humbled to be tasked with the mission of bringing this incredible story to the world." 
