Alice Cooper and Johnny Depp will swap the rock stage for the film festival spotlight next month as the story behind their star-packed Hollywood Vampires supergroup opens the 42nd Boston Film Festival.

The School's Out rocker will appear alongside actor Johnny, Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen for the September 17 opening-night premiere of Unleashed Spirits: The Rise of the Hollywood Vampires.

It traces how Alice's secret 1970s drinking and social club ultimately inspired the band he formed with Joe and Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny.

Director Daniel E. Catullo III is also due to attend the showing, according to Variety.

News of the showing comes during a busy period for the Hollywood Vampires, who returned to the road this month for their first tour in more than three years.

Alice, Johnny, Joe and Tommy kicked off the run at London's O2 Arena on August 12, where they were joined on stage by Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.

Their set included Alice's School's Out and Aerosmith's Livin' on the Edge, as well as versions of songs by The Who, AC/DC and the Velvet Underground.

The group have also released Hollywood Vampires at Montreux Jazz Festival, a live album documenting their 2018 appearance at the Swiss festival.

It follows their 2015 self-titled debut and 2019 album Rise.

Alice remains one of rock's best-known theatrical performers, with a catalogue including I'm Eighteen, Poison and No More Mr. Nice Guy, while Joe found worldwide fame as a founding member and guitarist of Aerosmith, whose hits include Dream On, Walk This Way and I Don't Want to Miss a Thing.

Alice is also continuing his solo career and has announced further dates for his Alice's Attic tour this autumn, beginning at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville on September 17.

His 1975 solo debut Welcome to My Nightmare was also among the albums included in a new collection of his 1975-78 studio work released this summer.

The Boston Film Festival, running from September 17 to September 21, will also stage the world premieres of features Bolio and A Minor Time, alongside documentaries Papertown, My Father, Dick Allen, 4000 Days, Come What May and Tony Foster: Life on the Edge.

Michael Mailer's Little Audrey will serve as the closing-night presentation on September 21, while author Michael Connelly is also scheduled to make a special festival presentation.

Boston Film Festival executive director Robin Dawson said in a statement: "We are proud to mark the 42nd Boston Film Festival by showcasing extraordinary storytelling from both bold new voices and acclaimed filmmakers.

"Cinema connects us across cultures and we're honored to provide a platform for these talented storytellers whose work challenges perspectives, inspires conversation, and reminds us of the power of film. We are deeply grateful to our filmmakers, audiences, sponsors, and partners who make this possible. We look forward to another unforgettable week of discovery and creativity."