Washington, Nov 7 : The director of `The Rum Diary', Bruce Robinson has admitted that he had almost declined Johnny Depp's offer to write the screenplay for the movie as the story did not initially appeal to him.

The movie is an adaptation of a novel written by Depp's close pal Hunter S. Thompson who died in 2005.

"I read `The Rum Diary' and I didn't really like it very much but I wrote it as a screenplay for Johnny, and then he asked me if I wanted to direct. I thought, `If he's prepared to take the risk I'll do it," Contactmusic quoted Robinson as telling Britain's Daily Telegraph.

"Writing and directing is the same cheese sandwich. And Johnny, he's the most important film star of our age. I love Johnny," he added.

The 48-year-old actor had earlier revealed that he convinced Bruce to come out of retirement after 19 years to make the movie and was successful because he refused to take no for an answer.

Depp had said that Bruce was his dream for `The Rum Diary' and Thompson's too. (ANI)