Regarding the other project mentioned in that article--my family and I do the reenactment of one of those historical battles, I've spent many years around the historically accurate representation of Paul Revere.
I can tell you right now, for a solid fact, Paul Revere did NOT wear white makeup and lots of pinstripes. I don't see how this is going to work out for him. :lol
Seriously though, Johnny Depp is a great actor and all, but I generally dislike historical movies, they end up being so innacurate. The Patriot was a great movie, albeit mostly made-up, and I couldn't stand to see the history I have so much pride in butchered by dramatization. (But I'm crotchety about my city's history lol, so I'm by far the least biased observer.)