Tag: On Stranger Tides

*UPDATED* PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES Synopsis

Walt Disney Pictures has sent us an updated synopsis to next summer’s PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES. A few subtle differences, but here it is nonetheless. See the original plot here.

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob Marshall, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES captures the fun, adventure and humor that ignited the hit franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D™. Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed adventure. Crossing paths with the enigmatic Angelica (Penelope Cruz), he’s not sure if it’s love—or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past. The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the vengeful Captain Hector Barbossa and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack’s longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Berges-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid.

Here’s another look at the trailer that debuted earlier this month during the “Pirates Fans First” event at Disneyland.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES is written by PIRATES veterans Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, suggested by the novel by Tim Powers.  The executive producers are Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Barry Waldman, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio and John DeLuca.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES sails into theatres around the world on May 20, 2011.

Official website: Disney.com/Pirates. “Like” Pirates on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PiratesoftheCaribbean

Geoffrey Rush Confirmed for PIRATES 4

I love Geoffrey Rush as the villainous Barbossa in the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films.  I remember getting downright giddy when he appeared out of nowhere at the end of DEAD MAN’S CHEST with a promise of chewing on apples and running fellow pirates through with this rapier in AT WORLD’S END.  So it pleases me to hear producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirming to MTV that Rush will be returning for the fourth installment in the series, ON STRANGER TIDES.

The article is more about Penelope Cruz’s character and how she will be playing Blackbeard’s daughter.  Blackbeard is to be played by Ian McShane.  But buried deep in the article is Bruckheimer’s confirmation that Rush will be returning, and that’s more newsworthy, in my humble opinion.

ON STRANGER TIDES is set to begin shooting in June.  It is planned to be released on May 20th, 2011.

McShane and His Black Beard to Take On PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

Swearengen on the high seas.  Now that sounds like a good idea.  Disney thought so, too, as, according to The Hollywood Reporter,  Ian McShane is in negotiations to play the villain for PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES.  McShane will be taking on the role of Blackbeard, probably the most notable, real pirate in history.

McShane will be joining a cast that already includes the returning Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and Penelope Cruz, who will be playing Sparrow’s love interest/equal in the film.  The story is to revolve around the quest for the Fountain of Youth.

This is great casting, as McShane is continuing his growing popularity in these days of DEADWOOD’s wake.  There is no word on whether Geoffrey Rush will be returning as Barbossa, but, if he doesn’t, McShane seems a likely candidate to fill that void.

CHICAGO and NINE director Rob Marshall is stepping in as director on the film which will begin shooting this coming Summer.  PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES is set to be released on May 20th, 2011.

THOR, PIRATES, SPIDERMAN 4 All Play the Release Date Shuffle

It was announced on Tuesday via Variety that Sony Pictures was putting SPIDER-MAN 4 on indefinite hiatus citing issues with the screenplay.   The film was slated for release on May 6th, 2011, but a source claimed this date was questionable at best.   It hasn’t taken long for other, tent pole films to swoop into that prime spot.

Today, both The Hollywood Reporter and Variety are reporting that Paramount’s THOR, previously set to bow on May 20th, has moved into the May 6th slot, giving it the opening Summer position for 2011.   With nothing left to fill the May 20th slot, Disney has stepped in and made that date the home for the release of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES.

The question that remains now is in where SPIDER-MAN 4 will find itself once these script issues get worked out.   Two of the three, previous SPIDER-MAN movies opened in that opening, Summer slot.   SPIDER-MAN 2 opened in late June of 2004, but, right now, the July 1st slot in 2011 is home to TRANSFORMERS 3.   Don’t expect that franchise to get sweated out any time soon.

SPIDER-MAN 4 is still announced as having a May 6th release date, and, should this date hold, it could leave Paramount in quite a conundrum with what to do with THOR.   They won’t want to open against an already established, comic book franchise, and Marvel will do everything in their power to keep this from happening, anyway.

What do you think?   What date looks good for the next SPIDER-MAN entry?   Did Paramount jump too soon in shifting THOR’s release date?   Looking at the current slate for Summer 2011, what film do you think has the strongest chance of walking away the big bread winner?     Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Disney Departure Leaves Depp Concerned About ‘Pirates 4’

depp pirates

It’s only been a little over a week since Disney’s announcement of the title and logo for the new ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,’ but, as reported in The Hollywood Reporter, Dick Cook stepped down on Friday as chairman of Walt Disney Studios.

Cook had this to say about the departure:

I have loved every minute of my 38 years that I have worked at Disney … from the beginning as a ride operator on Disneyland’s steam train and monorail to my position as chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. To wrap up my Disney experience in a neatly bundled statement is close to impossible. But what I will say is, during my time at the studio, we have achieved many industry and company milestones.

Upon hearing about the departure, ‘Pirates’ star Johnny Depp said he was “shocked and very sad” about the news.  This comes from the LA Times.  According to Depp, Cook was the reason he appeared in the ‘Pirates’ movies to begin with.  It was Cook that, finally, convinced Depp to step into the role, and it was Cook who always believed in Depp’s vision for the character, even when others at the studio were less than enthusiastic with the way the character was headed.

Depp says he has a potential deal in place for the fourth film, but, according to him, “there’s a fissure, a crack in my enthusiasm at the moment.”  The potential deal Depp is referring is dependent on his approval of the screenplay, but, with Cook out of the picture, Disney may need a real barn burner to keep the star on board.