The $3.5 billion Pirates of the Caribbean franchise may see another mega-star reprise in its fifth installment, and it may not just be Johnny Depp. Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards may return to the franchise after an invitation from Depp.
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Holy Swashbucklers! Rumors are flying that Johnny Depp is considering a fifth Pirates of the Caribbean installment, and the speculation may be overheating. Some international papers including The Sun say the newly single star could make some rather unprecedented cha-ching — to the tune of £60 million (that's about $95 million at current exchange rates). That would be some crazy treasure even the likes of, well, a pirate, could only dream of… But is the super-star actor worth the stupid money even if the rumors were only say, mostly true?
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After two and a half years running Disney, during which time the Mouse House released hits like Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Alice in Wonderland, Toy Story 3, The Muppets, and The Help -- but also a string of disappointments topped by last month's quarter-billion dollar bomb John Carter -- studio head Rich Ross is out. "The best people need to be in the right jobs, in roles they are passionate about, doing work that leverages the full range of their abilities," Ross said in a statement. "It's one of the leadership lessons I've learned during my career, and it's something I've been giving a great deal of thought to as I look at the challenges and opportunities ahead... I no longer believe the Chairman role is the right professional fit for me." [Deadline]
Strap yourselves in, folks: In the wake of its billion-dollar amusement park-inspired Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Disney is bringing another classic attraction to the big screen — Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. The Disneyland staple (a ride itself based on a film based on the children's book The Wind in the Willows) is heading to theaters under the direction of filmmaker Pete Candeland, who will helm the as-yet unscripted CG/live-action adventure. I don't know about you, but I take one look at this Mr. Toad's ride poster and just one spot on the release calendar jumps out. How's about April 20 2013/14, if you get my drift? [Deadline]
In what seems like a smart move for everyone involved, Disney has hired Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim, Shaun of the Dead) to direct Johnny Depp in The Night Stalker, a feature remake of the 1972 ABC made for TV movie of the same name and the series spin-off it inspired. The property follows reporter Carl Kolchak, whose investigations into criminal happenings lead him to all manner of supernatural villains; Depp will star as Kolchak, which sounds promising given Wright's proven track record in genre work, even if it feels like similar stories have come and gone of late with nary a blip (the Vegas-set, vampire-themed Fright Night remake, for one).
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Traditionally a "guilty pleasure" is something you'd be embarrassed for the world to know you secretly enjoyed or for your Facebook friends to see you clicked on, but you know what? Around here we embrace the bad-to-godawful movies we love, and besides; what the heck does it even mean to like something ironically, you insufferable hipster? Toss away your pretentious hat, sit down in the circle of trust, take a deep breath, and join Movieline in unabashedly celebrating the inane, misguided, off-the-mark, and downright B-A-D but nevertheless shamelessly entertaining movies of the year - the Top 9 Not-So-Guilty Pleasures of 2011. Because we all love some terrible things, don't we?
Since last week's Tree of Life giveaway event was such a success, we're staging another 10-word review contest -- this time, in celebration of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the Johnny Depp/Penélope Cruz pirate adventure epic that gets it home release this week. So find your black pearl pen, channel your inner Captain Jack Sparrow, mix your best mermaid tear cocktail and click ahead for details. [UPDATE: The contest is now closed! Thank you to everyone who participated. We will now sort through your submissions and notify you of a winner shortly.]
When Disney pulled the plug on its expensive Lone Ranger project, which was to reunite Pirates of the Caribbean cohorts Johnny Depp, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Gore Verbinski, a few industry-watchers held out hope that the studio and the filmmakers would yet still reach an agreement over how many hundreds of millions of dollars the would-be franchise would cost. Almost exactly two months later, it seems they've reached that compromise. More stupid money for someone!
Today's real talk from Johnny Depp, speaking with Vanity Fair about his lucrative Pirates of the Caribbean franchise: "Basically, if they're going to pay me the stupid money right now, I'm going to take it... I have to. I mean, it's not for me. Do you know what I mean? At this point, it's for my kids. It's ridiculous, yeah, yeah. But ultimately is it for me? No. No. It's for the kids." And, on the subject of being photographed: "Well, you just feel like you're being raped somehow. Raped ... It feels like a kind of weird -- just weird, man." [Vanity Fair, THR]
The marketing machine for Transformers: Dark of the Moon is really ramping up now that early-bird journalists got their first look at the kinetic 3-D action stylings of Michael Bay -- a portion of which footage is now online for your perusal/approval -- and Paramount decided to move up their release date to June 29. After the jump, watch the 3-D trailer (in 2-D here, obviously) filled with wanton destruction, a tease of Dark of the Moon's conspiracy theory premise, and more glorious destruction as Decepticons tear through downtown Chicago.
In this summer's swashbuckling sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, British newcomer Sam Claflin goes toe to toe with Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and a much more fearsome pirate: Blackbeard (Ian McShane), the legendary captain of a zombie ship on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth. But while Claflin holds his own as idealistic young Philip Swift, the missionary who falls for a mermaid (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey) and defies Blackbeard on pain of death, in real life he owes a debt of gratitude to the erstwhile Al Swearengen.
Speaking to journalists Thursday in Beverly Hills, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides superproducer Jerry Bruckheimer was guarded as ever where details of a fifth Pirates were concerned. But at least he was honest about what it'll take for Disney to officially give the green light. "If it makes them a lot of money, it's a success. And hopefully it makes them a lot of money." Something tells us the radical idea Johnny Depp shared for filming Pirates 5 and 6 won't exactly fly.
Ariel who? Kicking their Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides marketing campaign up a notch, Disney has released a brand new character poster featuring newbie lovers Philip Swift (Sam Claflin) and the mermaid Syrena (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey) -- excuse me, the topless mermaid Syrena. Ingenious marketing execs, consider the male teen demographic covered!
Over at Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides website there are a LOT of nifty features for the Pirates-obsessed to fritter the morning away on. And if you spend just enough time frolicking in the trailers, behind-the-scenes videos, and character features you'll be rewarded with four new pieces of Pirates art, including lifelike sketches of Ian McShane as Blackbeard and Penelope Cruz as Blackbeard's swashbuckling daughter.
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