Johnny Depp enters the revolving door that is The Tourist

IF you follow the production of films you will soon become aware that many changes often take place on the journey from script to celluloid.

But even by those standards, The Tourist has gone through a surprising number of cast and crew members coming and going.

The latest to arrive through the project's revolving door is Johnny Depp, who is now in talks to play the lead role, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Initially, Bharat Nalluri was on board to direct the thriller, with Tom Cruise in the lead. Charlize Theron was set to co-star.

But then Cruise left and Sam Worthington was brought in as a replacement.

After that, Charlize Theron departed and in came Angelina Jolie. Bharat Nalluri dropped out and the studio brought in German director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.

Following that, Sam Worthington dropped out and von Donnersmarck moved on. Alfonso Cuaron is now heading for the director's chair.

The film, a revamp of the 2005 French spy thriller Anthony Zimmer, involves a female Interpol agent who ropes an American tourist visiting France into becoming bait in the hunt for an elusive criminal mastermind who is also her former lover.

Production is scheduled to begin early next year. It'll be interesting to see who actually ends up directing and starring in this film.