Disney Departure Leaves Depp Concerned About ‘Pirates 4′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.
link: http://wearemoviegeeks.com/2009/09/disney-departure-leaves-depp-concerned-about-pirates-4/
...uh-oh. not looking good for POTC 4 now.
Hold On Stop the presses some good news
It’s looking grim for the new Pirates of the Caribean trilogy that Disney’s trying to pull off. Over at Cinemablend, they got an exclusive tip from a source who claims that Johnny Depp may not return to the franchise after his appearance in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The actor is currently in negotiations to reprise the role of Captain Jack Sparrow, but due to a few recent events, Pirates 5 and 6 are definitely uncertain.
Depp began to express doubt in his return to Pirates after Disney Chairman Dick Cook stepped down from his position at the studio. The actor expressed a lack of enthusiasm with returning to the role, and clarified that his deal had yet to be finalized. According to the source over at Cinemablend, if Depp does return for On Stranger Tides, he more than likely won’t return for a fifth and sixth film. Disney planned on restarting a new trilogy based on the previously established property, and his exit would definitely put a damper on that.
They also stated that the studio is preparing to recast the role of Captain Jack if Depp refuses to return. My response to that statement is, “Are they insane?” You can’t replace him in that role. This isn’t Batman, you can’t have a new actor every few movies and think it will work. Depp made that character and created something completely different than what was on the page, and it worked. Any replacement actor would just be doing their best Depp impersonation of Keith Richards.
What do you think of Depp possibly leaving the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise? Do you think it can survive without him?
Article Link:http://screencrave.com/2009-09-24/pirates-4-might-be-johnny-depps-last/
Geoffrey Rush Ready for Pirates of the Caribbean 4
Source:MTV
September 23, 2009
MTV talked to Geoffrey Rush who says he's ready to reprise his role of Barbossa in Spring 2010 for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The fourth installment is scheduled to be released in Summer 2011.
He said: "They're waiting for the screenplay writers to put together something that's beyond the trilogy, take it off into a new direction so that it's fresh and hopefully really interesting for an audience, that they're not going to just sausage-machine out something else, which wouldn't be so good."
Article Link:http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=59407
Okay so There will be Pirates 4. But a 5th and 6th ones? Are they NUTS? NO MORE pirates okay. Let the 4th be the last.