Universal is kicking off their rebooted monster universe in 2017 with The Mummy, with plans to redo classics like The Wolf ManBride of Frankenstein and The Creature From the Black Lagoon. While the studio’s mysterious strategy is still taking shape, they’ve lined up a major star to join Tom Cruise in their new shared monsters universe, casting Johnny Depp in their reboot of The Invisible Man.

It’s an odd choice for Depp, a character actor who typically selects roles that require makeup and silly hats and all manner of quirky affectations. But as THR reports, Depp will play the eponymous character in Universal’s reboot of The Invisible Man, which means he will mostly be invisible — though if they take a tip from the 1933 film starring Claude Rains, he’ll get that silly hat after all.

James Whale’s classic black-and-white film was based on the novel by H.G. Wells and centered on a scientist who discovers a way to become invisible, though his brilliant discovery costs him his sanity.

Fast and Furious vet Chris Morgan and Alex Kurtzman are overseeing Universal’s new monsters universe, with Kurtzman making his directorial debut on The Mummy reboot, which stars Tom Cruise and Kingsman’s Sofia Boutella. Men in Black scribe Ed Solomon is reportedly writing the screenplay for The Invisible Man reboot.

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