A film is being made about the life and career of Irish music legend Shane MacGowan and Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp will be co-producer.
The movie, which will be simply titled ‘Shane’ will follow the rise of MacGowan and also feature many events from his personal life.
MacGowan and Depp have been friends for decades and the Pirates of the Caribbean star was delighted to be a part of the project.
Depp said: “Knowing Shane for 30 years, I am honoured to be producing the definitive film on both my friend and one of the most important artists and beloved poets of the 20th century.”
The movie is being directed by Julien Temple. He said: “It’s not the easiest thing to make a film about Shane MacGowan. The nearest thing I can think of is one of those David Attenborough films. You set the camera traps. You wait and you wait, in the hope that one day the snow leopard will trigger them.
“Then when you do actually capture the unique force of Shane’s personality, even for a moment on screen, you realise it was all worthwhile.”
Irish actor Barry Keoghan will play a MacGowan in the movie. It will follow the rise of the Pogues in the 1980s and MacGowan’s rock and roll lifestyle.
The film synopsis states it will “reveal Shane’s true punk and poetic nature, culminating in his 60th birthday celebration where singers, movie stars and rock ’n roll outlaws gathered for a knees-up to remember.”
The Pogues – punkrock stars from a folk tradition
It’s not Christmas, but it is still a beautiful song, Shane’s most famous hit – A Fairytale of New York.
