Depp to play Dante in home production

Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp , who was last seen in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will star in a film based on the life of Italian Renaissance poet Dante.

Depp's production company, Infinitum Nihil, has bought the screen rights to Nick Tosches' 2002 book, In The Hand of Dante on which the film will be based, reports contactmusic.com.

The story will parallel the lives of a modern-day writer, played by Depp, and Dante as he attempts to complete his classic work The Divine Comedy.