Johnny Depp Spent $3 Million Blasting Hunter S. Thompson’s Ashes Out Of A Cannon

Johnny Depp's ostentatious spending habits, including $3million (£2.37m) being spent blasting writer Hunter S. Thompson's ashes out of a cannon, have been revealed as part of a lawsuit he has made against his former management agency.

Thompson's ashes were fired from a cannon placed atop a 153-foot (47 metre) tower in the shape of a double-thumbed fist clutching a peyote button.

The funeral that took place in 2005 and was attended by public figures including John Kerry, Jack Nicholson, John Cusack, Bill Murray, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, Josh Hartnett, Ralph Steadman and more.

A video of the ashes being fired out of a cannon. Credit: YouTube

"All I'm doing is trying to make sure his last wish comes true," Depp said at the time, "I just want to send my pal out the way he wants to go out."

The business managers he is suing for mismanaging his earnings claim Depp's financial troubles are the result of a '$2 million-a-month lifestyle'.

The Management Group claim he spent more than $75m (£59.6m) on 14 homes and are countersuing Depp after he sued them for $25m (£19.78m).

Credit: PA Images

Their legal action, obtained by Deadline, also accuses the actor of spending:

• $18m (£14.3m) on an 150 foot (45 metre) yacht
• $4m (£3.2m) on a failed record label
• $3m (£2.4m) to blast Hunter S Thompson's ashes out of a cannon
• $300,000 (£238,600) a month to maintain a staff of 40 people
• $200,000 (£159,000) a month on private planes
• $150,000 (£119,330) a month on round-the-clock security
• $30,000 (£23,800) a month on buying and importing wine

The actor filed a lawsuit on 13 January claiming that The Management Group (TMG) defrauded him, mismanaging his finances, taking out loans without his approval and hiding the extent of his spending from him.

The countersuit alleges that he was fully aware of their activities.

Hunter S. Thompson and Johnny Depp pictured together. Credit: PA Images

"Depp often responded by rebuking and cursing his business managers for issuing such warnings and advice, while increasing his extravagant lifestyle and spending, and demanding that his business managers find some way to pay for it all," the suit alleges.

"Depp, and Depp alone, is fully responsible for any financial turmoil he finds himself in today. He has refused to live within his means, despite the best efforts of TMG and the repeated warnings about his financial condition from TMG and his other advisors."

His lawsuit also alleges the company cost him $5.7m (£4.5m) in penalties after they failed to file his taxes on time.

He might make big bucks, but Johnny Depp was also inclued in Forbes' list of the most overpaid actors in the world in 2016.

Credit: PA Images

Forbes compiled the list by "looking at the last three films each actor starred in before June 2016, save animated films, movies where the actor appeared in an insignificant role, or movies that were released on fewer than 2,000 screens."

They then compared how much money the movies made versus how much the actor was paid.

Topping the list was Johnny Depp, as his last three movies returned just $2.80 at the box office for every $1 he was paid on them.

Second was Will Smith who has had a bad run at the box office, returning a dismal $5 at the ticket booth for every $1 he earned from his recent films.

Credit: Disney

Third-ranked was Channing Tatum, who made the cut despite having scored some notable hits. Magic Mike XXL did well at the box office, notching $122 (£97) million on a $14.8 (£11.77) million budget, but Tatum still returns just $6 at the box office for every $1 paid.

Will Ferrell's return rate was $6.50 at the ticket booth for every $1 he earns, which is even worse than his $6.80 ROI last year. This was mainly thanks to Zoolander 2, which managed just $56 (£44.54) million at cinemas from a $50 (£39.76) million budget.

The top five was completed by George Clooney, whose box office returns have fallen to $6.70 for every $1 paid.

Johnny Depp visits children dressed as Jack Sparrow. Credit: ABC

The rest of the top 10 was...

6. Adam Sandler - $7.60 for every $1 paid.

7. Mark Wahlberg - $9.20 for every $1 paid.

8. Leonardo DiCaprio - $9.90 for every $1 paid.

9. Julia Roberts - $10.80 for every $1 paid.

10. Bradley Cooper - $12.10 for every $1 paid

Topics: johnny depp, ashes, Money, Legal, Lawsuit

James Dawson

James Dawson is a Journalist at LADbible. He has contributed articles to LADbible’s ‘Knowing Me, Knowing EU’ series on the EU referendum, the 'Electoral Dysfunction' series on the 2017 general election, the ‘U OK M8?’ series tackling mental health amongst young men, and for its ‘Climate Change’ initiative in partnership with National Geographic.

@thejaytoday