Making a gritty investigative thriller about one of modern music's most infamous unsolved mysteries proved nearly as complicated as the real-life case itself. City of Lies follows disgraced Los Angeles Police Department detective Russell Poole, played by Johnny Depp, and journalist Jack Jackson, played by Forest Whitaker, as they unspool the institutional corruption tied to the murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. Adapted from Randall Sullivan's non-fiction book LAbyrinth, the film faced years of studio shifts, legal controversy, and distribution purgatory before finally reaching audiences.
Behind the cinematic lens, the production journey was defined by authentic Los Angeles location scouting, meticulous character transformations, and a rocky road to the screen that overshadowed its initial theatrical rollout.
Adapting LAbyrinth and Finding the Tone
Director Brad Furman wanted to capture the claustrophobic obsession that consumed Russell Poole after he was sidelined by the department. Author Randall Sullivan spent years investigating how corrupt LAPD officers mingled with Death Row Records, and turning that dense investigative journalism into a two-hour narrative required a delicate balance. Screenwriter Christian Contreras stripped down the sprawling book to focus on the tense, fragile alliance between Poole and a reporter looking back at the case two decades later.
Furman didn't want a glossy, high-action Hollywood gloss. Instead, the production aimed for a gritty, lived-in aesthetic that mirrored the bleak reality of late-1990s Los Angeles. Crew members studied archival police footage, actual precinct layouts, and independent investigative files to ensure the visual tone felt grounded rather than sensationalized. As highlighted in latest articles by Reuters, the effects are notable.
Character Design and On-Set Transformations
Johnny Depp dialed back his usual larger-than-life cinematic persona to embody Poole's exhaustion and isolation. To capture the retired detective's physical and psychological toll, the hair and makeup department worked closely with Depp to craft a distinct look.
- The Physical Transformation: Depp sported a subdued wardrobe consisting of weathered jackets, layered shirts, and a deliberate posture featuring a slight, tired slouch and a restrained walk.
- The Environment: Poole's home office became a central character prop. Set designers filled the rooms with stacks of court transcripts, loose clippings, cassette tapes, and pinned-up corkboards that mapped out years of obsessive digging.
- The Vocal Delivery: Depp chose a soft-spoken, low-register delivery, mirroring a man whose voice had been ignored by his superiors for too long.
Forest Whitaker brought a complementary energy as Jack Jackson. Whitaker's character served as the audience surrogate—skeptical at first, but slowly dragged down into the same rabbit hole of institutional cover-ups.
Principal Photography on Location in Los Angeles
Principal photography began in Los Angeles in December 2016 and wrapped in May 2017. Rather than relying heavily on soundstages, Furman prioritized shooting on location across the actual streets of Los Angeles where the real-life investigations occurred.
Production teams secured permits for night shoots in downtown LA, industrial districts, and municipal areas to capture the authentic neon glare and concrete shadows of the city. Cinematographer Monika Lenczewska utilized natural lighting and handheld camera movements during dialogue-heavy scenes to create an intimate, documentary-style feeling. This approach forced actors into tight physical spaces, heightening the claustrophobia of their investigations.
Distribution Delays and Legal Hurdles
The most turbulent chapter of the film's existence happened after cameras stopped rolling. Originally slated for a theatrical release by Open Road Films, the movie became caught in a web of corporate restructuring when Global Road Entertainment acquired the distributor.
Compounding these corporate shifts, the project hit a major roadblock when a crew member filed a lawsuit against Johnny Depp, leading Global Road to pull the film from its scheduled September 2018 release date entirely. The movie sat on a shelf for years with no clear US distribution path, turning it into a Hollywood ghost story.
It wasn't until Saban Films acquired the rights that the thriller finally secured a proper rollout, premiering via video-on-demand and select theaters in March 2021—nearly four years after principal photography wrapped. International rights were later picked up by companies like Highland Film Group, allowing the project to finally find its global audience.
You can read more about the production history and distribution updates on Wikipedia's City of Lies page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Lies based on a true story?
Yes. The film is adapted from Randall Sullivan's non-fiction investigative book LAbyrinth, which explores the real-life LAPD investigations into the murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. Johnny Depp's character is directly modeled on real-life former LAPD detective Russell Poole.
Why was the movie delayed for years?
The film faced a combination of corporate acquisitions and legal complications. Its original distributor was absorbed by another company, and a lawsuit involving a crew member prompted studio executives to pull its planned 2018 theatrical release, leaving it shelved until Saban Films picked it up in 2021.
Where was City of Lies filmed?
Production took place entirely on location in and around Los Angeles, California, utilizing real city streets, municipal backdrops, and practical interiors to maintain gritty visual realism.
Did Johnny Depp do his own stunts or physical training for the role?
While the film is an investigative drama rather than an action blockbuster, Depp worked closely with technical advisors and studied archival material of Russell Poole to replicate the mannerisms, habits, and speech patterns of the driven, worn-down investigator.
