At the turn of millennium, Johnny Depp made five movies, Blow (2001), From Hell (2001), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Once Upon A Time in Mexico (2003), and Secret Window (2004). The majority of these movies were pretty good and even those garnering mixed reviews featured strong performances from the chameleon, Depp.

Johnny DeppJohnny Depp [L] and Armie Hammer [R] In The Lone Ranger

This week, the Hollywood actor agreed up star in a sequel to 2010's fantasy blockbuster Alice in Wonderland. Yes, the film grossed $1 billion, though it wasn't very good. Tim Burton sacrificed all the magic and heart of the original for a pointless 3-D treat, with Depp's Mad Hatter character appearing superfluous - if that's at all possible.

According to Deadline, Depp has signed on the dotted line to appear in a sequel directed by The Muppets' filmmaker James Bobin. It's a strange move from the Hollywood star in a period that has seen his Hollywood stock take a couple of dents. His bizarre decision to play Tonto (complete with face-paint and a crow for a hat) in Gore Verbinski's The Lone Ranger resulted in dismal box-office takings and a potential $150 million write down for Disney. Before that came Dark Shadows, The Rum Diaries, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and, shudder, The Tourist. All critically mauled.

Watch the Alice in Wonderland trailer:

In 2014, Depp will return as Captain Jack Sparrow in a fifth film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series though - according to the Hollywood Reporter - Disney are keen to renegotiate with producer Jerry Bruckheimer after the disastrous Lone Ranger. 

With his pal Burton stepping down from the director's chair, Depp for Alice in Wonderland 2 seems a strange, strange decision. On the bright side, the actor has reportedly signed on to play the eccentric English scholar and art dealer Charlie Mortdecai, in a movie based on the novels of Kyril Bonfiglioli. Now that's more like it.

Johnny Depp will next be seen in action sci-fi Transcendence, in April 2014. 

Johnny DeppJohnny Depp As Tonto In 'The Lone Ranger'