Johnny Depp Turns Over A New Leaf As Publisher

Johnny Depp has added the title of book publisher to his CV, aiming to print literary works that might not otherwise have seen the light of day.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star has teamed up with HarperCollins to publish books under the Infinitum Nihil label.Infinitum Nihil, which means Nothing Is Forever, shares its name with Depp's production company.

The 49-year-old has already lined up a number of books, including one about Bob Dylan.

The Unravelled Tales Of Bob Dylan aims to explain the songwriter's enigmatic life and career, and is based in part on interviews with Dylan by historian Douglas Brinkley.

HarperCollins said Depp was seeking out "authentic, outspoken and visionary ideas and voices".

Depp explained: "I pledge, on behalf of Infinitum Nihil, that we will do our best to deliver publications worthy of peoples' time, of peoples' concern, publications that might ordinarily never have breached the parapet.

"For this dream realised, we would like to salute HarperCollins for their faith in us and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship together."

Brinkley, who recently wrote a cover story on Dylan for Rolling Stone, said he and Depp thought the Dylan book was "the ideal way" to inaugurate the Infinitum Nihil series.

"Bob has been very warm and forthcoming with us," Brinkley said. "His music has inspired us both deeply since we were teenagers."

The Dylan book is scheduled to be published in 2015.

Dylan and Brinkley will also collaborate on the editing and publication of a previously announced novel by one of Dylan's heroes, folk musician Woody Guthrie, who died in 1967.

House Of Earth was completed by Guthrie in 1947, but was only recently discovered. That release is scheduled for January.

Depp, whose movies include Edward Scissorhands and Dark Shadows, already has ties to the book world.

He was a close friend of Hunter S Thompson, and starred in film adaptations of Thompson's books Rum Diary and Fear A! nd Loathing In Las Vegas.