The Johnny Depp starring The Libertine is to start shooting in the UK in late February.

Co-starring John Malkovich and Samantha Morton, The Libertine is the real life story of the Earl of Rochester, the notoriously debauched 17th century poet who died at 33 a physical wreck.

The $16m project was unveiled in Cannes last year by Ralph Kamp and Louise Goodsill's UK-based sales company Odyssey Entertainment (ScreenDaily.com, May 8, 2003.) Kamp confirmed the start of shoot to ScreenDaily.com today (Jan 8).

Malkovich, whose Mr Mudd production company has been developing the project since he starred in the original play as Rochester, will play King Charles II. Morton plays a struggling young actress with whom Rochester becomes enraptured.

Commercials director Laurence Dunmore, who first worked with Malkovich on an advert for the Eurostar train, is will direct.

The script, by playwright Stephen Jeffreys, is laden with sex and period language - much of it coarse. Russell Smith, who produces with Malkovich and Lianne Halfon at Mr Mudd, told ScreenDaily.com before Cannes that the film will provide actors with plenty of room to act, as well as delve into the underbelly of life for ordinary people in "a dirty, muddy, smelly period".