'Tourist' trade (VAR, DH, THR)

By Nancy Tartaglione

In another overhaul of major elements, "The Tourist" is facing yet another shift in its casting and direction. With the lead female role recently moving from Charlize Theron to Angelina Joile, the lead male character now looks as if it may be played by Johnny Depp. That's after the previously-attached Tom Cruise dropped out and was replaced by Sam Worthington. Further, the director's chair, recently said to go to Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, now has Alfonso Cuaron circling.

Worthington reportedly exited along with von Donnersmarck over creative differences.

The film is heading towards a February production start.

Graham King's GK Films is financing and distributing through his deal with Sony.

A while back, the remake of the 2005 French thriller "Anthony Zimmer" had Bharat Nalluri directing and Tom Cruise and Charlize Theron circling. Worthington came into focus with Theron after Cruise took "Knight and Day" at Fox. Von Donnersmarck then came into the picture with Jolie.

Depp enters the frame via King, with whom he has a close relationship, most recently collaborating on "The Rum Diary" and the Gore Verbinski-directed animated pic "Rango."

"The Tourist" sees a female Interpol agent rope an everyman American tourist visiting France into becoming bait in the hunt for a wanted criminal who's also her former lover.