Johnny Depp to go from madcap scientist in Transcendence to Whitey Bulger in Black Mass

Johnny Depp will appear in Transcendence (Getty Images)

Johnny Depp will star in the directorial debut of Chris Nolan's visionary (and Oscar-winning) cinematographer, Transcendence.

Although producers have said they won't reveal the film's plot it is believed to be about a scientist whose brain is uploaded into a Frankenstein-style supercomputer after he is assassinated by anti-technology terrorists.

Filming is due to start in April and Transcendence is slated for release in 2014.

Depp will next be seen starring in Disney's adaptation of The Lone Ranger directed by Gore Verbinksi which hits cinemas in July.

This summer he will also film crime thriller Black Mass about notorious Boston mob boss Whitey Bulger, written by Jez Butterworth and directed by Barry Levinson, later this year.