Weir Leaves Depp's 'Shataram' Vacant

Director's vision differed too much

By: Brad Brevet
Published: Monday, June 12th 2006 at 1:14 AM

Apparently Peter Weir's vision of Shantaram was not exactly what the studio and producers were looking for as the helmer left his directorial chair vacant.

Shantaram is the Warner Bros. adaptation of the Gregory David Roberts novel and currently stars Johnny Depp and Emily Watson and was written by Eric Roth.

Apparently the departure came soon after Weir turned in his rewrite of the Roth script and a spokesman told Variety, "Peter moved on from this film because his interpretation of it differed greatly than that of the studio and producer."

Warners has begun talking to directors to replace Weir and remains optimistic that production will start by spring 2007. Scouting has already occurred in India, Spain and the U.K.

The film centers on an Australian heroin addict (Depp) convicted of robbery who escapes to India, where he reinvents himself as a doctor. When he gets involved in smuggling and gunrunning, his adventurous life leads him to Afghanistan and battles with Russians. Roberts wrote the initial draft.