Johnny Depp boards ‘Hyde’ graphic novel series from Ridley Scott

Johnny Depp is stepping into the shadows as Mr Hyde in a new graphic novel series titled "Hyde", inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde". The project is a collaboration between Ridley Scott, Depp, and production company Mechanical Cake, with all three holding joint ownership of the property.

Set to debut on Halloween, "Hyde" will imagine a world where Mr Hyde defeats Dr Jekyll and roams freely, embracing his dark urges and transforming others using a mysterious serum. The character will bear Depp's likeness, and the actor will contribute creatively across all aspects of the project.

"To be invited into Ridley Scott's vision and to build from Stevenson's iconic character is both beautiful and insane," Depp said. "It's an honour."

Created by Mechanical Cake CEO Jesse Negron, the two-volume series is co-written with Joe Matsumoto, featuring artwork by Gary Erskine and Chris Weston. The project is being produced under the guidance of Scott Free's Tom Moran, Infinitum Nihil's Jason Forman, and Mechanical Cake's Tom Sanders.

Negron described the project as a "studio-level production with no filters," and Scott's immediate response to the pitch was, "It's a no-brainer!"

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"Hyde" will be officially unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con, with a Hall H panel discussing the merging of graphic novel and film industries. Depp's involvement, paired with Scott's backing, positions the project as one of the year's most anticipated cross-medium storytelling ventures.