'Pirates', 'Takedown', Johnny Depp

[Monday, June 10th, 2002]
Johnny Depp is in the process of agreeing to star in two films for action impresario Jerry Bruckheimer, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

He is in negotiations to sign a two-picture deal with the Walt Disney Co. that will see the actor working on back-to-back action projects for the producer, "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Takedown."

The actor would shoot "Pirates" for director Gore Verbinski in October and then segue into the March start for "Takedown," which Michael Haussman is directing.

"Pirates" focuses on a daring attempt to rescue someone from dangerous pirates who are trying to reverse an ancient curse. Depp will play the lead pirate, Jack.

The most recent draft of "Pirates," which is based on the legendary Disney theme park ride, was penned by "Shrek" scribes Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott, working from earlier drafts from Jay Wolpert and Stuart Beattie.

"Takedown," based on Carsten Stroud's 1996 graphic nonfiction book "Deadly Force: In the Streets With the U.S. Marshals," revolves around a U.S. marshal (Depp) in pursuit of an assassin who raped and almost killed a female colleague/former lover. The marshal eventually learns that his target is protected by another branch of the U.S. government.

Jerry Stahl wrote the most recent draft of the script. Previous writers include John Lee Hancock, Henry Bean, Laith Zawawi and John Norville.

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