Pirates of the Caribbean 4 Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Mere days ago I passed on the report that Disney was making The Lone Ranger their priority and pushing back Pirates, which wasn't too surprising since Ranger had a director and Pirates didn't. Well, belay all that, because ComingSoon caught up with Jerry Bruckheimer, who assured Jack Sparrow fans that a fourth installment was just around the corner, and suggested that Ranger had stalled out for the moment.

When it comes to the masked man, there's no hunt for a lead, and Bruckheimer & Co. are essentially waiting to hire a director, and for Disney to hit the gas on the whole thing. Despite all reports, Mike Newell is not attached to the chair because he's still hard at work on Prince of Persia -- and frankly, Disney could be waiting to see how that flies before signing him onto another franchise maker.

But Pirates, well, that's a sure thing. "It's a great franchise for [Disney] and for us, too," Bruckheimer said. "We love the character and Johnny was really excited about coming back to Captain Jack. He certainly is interested in Tonto, but Disney's priority is to get Pirates made first. You never know what's going to happen, but they would like it." Franchise scribes Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott (who are also writing Ranger) are scribbling a script as you read this, one that Bruckheimer promises is "funny" and a "whole new way of going."

Well, we know where we're going -- weighing anchor and heading back to sea instead of riding off into the sunset. As someone who enjoyed the Pirates franchise, I'm pleased we're going back so soon (especially if they get Geoffery Rush back) but it's always deflating when something fresh gets stuck spinning its wheels.

I was just watching Monsters, Inc this past week, and wondering why it belonged to Pixar's no sequel club ... and guess what's in the works now? Dedicated Disney blogger Jim Hill visited this year's Licensing International Expo, and talked to the fine people who were representing Disney and Pixar, and buying up licensing rights.

Reportedly, Pete Docter (fresh off his success with Up) is planning to return to Monstropolis and helm a sequel to his previous Pixar effort, Monsters, Inc. Obviously, story details are shrouded in secrecy, but they've got Cars 2 and Toy Story 3 in the works, it's not much of a stretch to believe they'd revisit Mike and Sully. While it's a delightfully complete film, it's also a wonderful world, and I'd like to go there again.

Hill also reports that Disney is really focusing its efforts on The Lone Ranger, and are hoping to have it in theaters by Summer 2011. As you may remember, Mike Newell was hired to direct, and Johnny Depp is set to play Tonto.
Intent on launching a Ranger franchise, they've pushed back Jack Sparrow's, and are now planning to release the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean installment to a tenative date of Summer 2012. Both franchises offer a dose of Depp, so the Pirates fanbase should be pretty happy with that. Frankly, I'm willing to trade tricorns just to know just who they cast as that masked man ....

If Pirates of the Caribbean really decides to weigh anchor and sail in 2010, it will have to be with a new captain. According to Variety, Gore Verbinski has officially informed Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer that he's no longer interested in swashbuckling, and won't be helming a fourth installment.

"I had a fantastic time bringing Pirates to life, and I am eternally grateful to Jerry, Johnny and the rest of the creative and production team," Verbinski said. "I'm looking forward to all of us crossing paths again in the future."

Instead, he's throwing all his attention to another underwater project -- his eagerly awaited adaptation of Bioshock, which is expected to be his next directing vehicle after he finishes on the Johnny Depp voiced Rango.

The fourth Pirates was being eyed for a 2010 start date, and it's not known if Verbinski's departure will affect that although it doesn't seem like Disney is racing to get into production any time soon despite all those Russell Brand rumors.

A lot of people are fried on the Pirates franchise and while I should be one of them (Jack Sparrow is still alive and well in this house), I'll always be a sucker for high seas adventure. Maybe a change-up behind the scenes will breathe some new life into the series, and avoid another muddy plot like At World's End.

If it hasn't happened already, within the next year or so Disney and 3-D technology should become BF4EVAH (or Best Friends For Ever). Just today two whoppers of announcements have been made: First, that Disney will release its classic Beauty and the Beast in Disney Digital 3-D on the big screen in 2010. Joining Beast that same year in Disney Digital 3-D will be the re-release of Toy Story 2, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Toy Story 3, Rapunzel and Step Up 3D (from Touchstone). Wait, we're not done -- that was just the honeymoon. In 2009, we're looking at Jonas Brothers 3-D Concert Movie, Pixar's Up, G-Force, the re-release of Toy Story and Robert Zemeckis' A Christmas Carol.

Oh, and regarding that last film -- A Christmas Carol -- well, Disney also just announced a deal where Carol will kick off a five-picture arrangement with IMAX Corporation, meaning you will soon be seeing Disney on an even bigger screen in 3-D. Of course, this all leads to the biggie: Pirates of the Caribbean 4, and a continuation of their most popular live-action franchise right now. Those brilliant minds over at Variety seem to think it'd be a no-brainer for Disney to bring Pirates into 3-D territory, and when we asked Jerry Bruckheimer about going 3-D with Pirates recently while visiting the set of Prince of Persia (which we imagine will be one of those five films hitting IMAX screens), he said "Absolutely. I'd love to do it, so let's just see if we can work it through the production schedule with everything else."

But what do you fans of the franchise think? Would you want Pirates 4 to go the 3-D route, or do you feel the technology would take something away from the franchise? Sound off below ...

Cinematical had a chance to chat up Jerry Bruckheimer earlier today while in London visiting the set of a really big Disney film that we can't talk much about ... yet. However, while there our small group of dedicated online writers pressed The Bruck on his upcoming projects -- most notably Pirates of the Caribbean 4, The Lone Ranger, and National Treasure 3.

Regarding National Treasure 3 and Pirates 4 (which he says is eying a 2012 release as of right now), those scripts are being worked on as we speak. Of course IMAX and 3-D technology was part of the discussion, and it was not ruled out. Says Bruck, "Absolutely. I'd love to do it, so let's just see if we can work it through the production schedule with everything else." Additionally, while Johnny Depp has officially signed on to star in The Lone Ranger as Tonto, rumors George Clooney snagged the lead role as The Lone Ranger were quickly dismissed by Bruckheimer: "We haven't decided who is going to play the Lone Ranger yet. Get a director first and then figure it out." We'll have so much more from London and from this "really giganto Disney film" at a later date. (And trust me, you will definitely want to read that story.)

With the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, it was pretty much inevitable that more would come our way. But it wasn't all signed, dotted, and crossed until now. Variety reports that Johnny Depp has finally signed on for a fourth film. I can only hope that this time around, he gets the passion and the girl. Or at the very least, I hope she doesn't pick a bland dude who lacks charisma and chemistry instead. Ick.

But that's not all, folks! Depp, with a big ol' soft spot for iconic roles lately, has signed on for one more (two if you count Mad Hatter in Burton's Alice in Wonderland). As briefly reported yesterday, he's also going to play Tonto as part of Jerry Bruckheimer's adaptation of The Lone Ranger. The man must like his Bruck. I'm glad he's part Cherokee so there's more basis to this pick than just "Holy crap Depp is awesome and brings in big money!" But that leaves a pressing question:

We still don't have the Lone dude himself. Is there an actor out there who would make a good Lone Ranger, AND be able to fight his way out of Depp's talented shadow? Weigh in below!