Johnny Depp is not only a talented actor with incredible screen presence, but he’s also an all-around swell guy who seems very open (relatively speaking) to the suggestions of others. While I wish that we could somehow talk him out of his latest wang-sheath fashion craze, that’s probably not possible, so we’ll have to settle for the fact that Depp has twice spoken of the fact that he’s “absolutely” open to doing a cameo in the “21 Jump Street” reboot and would definitely do it if it’s offered. Well, the offer has arrived, and Depp has now been confirmed for said cameo of the Jonah Hill-scripted movie:

It looks like Jonah Hill has gotten his wish. ComingSoon.net has confirmed that Johnny Depp will indeed have a small cameo role in Columbia Pictures’ 21 Jump Street, which is now filming for a March 16, 2012 release.

To be directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs), the big screen adaptation stars Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Brie Larson, Rob Riggle, DeRay Davis, Dave Franco and Jake Johnson.

Based on the Fox series that ran from 1987 to 1991, the movie will center on two undercover cops (Hill and Tatum), who are assigned to work in schools. Cube is playing the police chief and Larson is the female lead.

Hill had previously said that they had written a “really funny” cameo for Depp and was hopeful that he would do it.

[From Coming Soon]

Yes, the reboot (like virtually all others) will probably suck (since it stars the interchangeable Channing Tatum and the by-now-ridiculous Ice Cube, why wouldn’t it?), but I think it’s great that Depp has confirmed that he’ll be making an appearance. Lots of actors in his position would probably think they’re just beyond backtracking a few decades to revisit the franchise that made their name, but Johnny is totally down with this sort of thing:

He was so fine back in the day, wasn’t he? Although I’m wondering whether Depp will reprise his former television show character or if they’ll just plop him into the movie in a very unexpected manner. Whatever the case, the alleged “funny” nature of the cameo will once again prove that Depp can make light of himself and is perfectly willing to do so. In fact, he does so regularly by playing such eccentric characters like his most famous to date, Jack Sparrow, a role that (as we’re all quite aware by now) he’ll reprise very soon in the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides. By the way, here’s that movie’s latest promotional television spot.

Photos courtesty of Fame Pictures and AllMoviePhoto