09-25-2008, 08:25 PM
. . .as you know. . .probably no Keira. . .
Johnny Depp Will Play 'Pirates,' Indians and Mad Hatter
'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Lone Ranger' roles on tap
Disney is keeping Johnny Depp busy with a fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" film and co-starring turns in "The Lone Ranger" and "Alice and Wonderland."
Since Depp's first three "Pirates of the Caribbean" films added $2.6 billion in worldwide box office to the Disney coffers, it was no surprise that the company made him its unofficial posterboy at its Wednesday (Sept. 24) presentation in Hollywood.
Perhaps the most predictable piece of Depp-related casting announced at the event was that the Oscar nominated actor will reunite with Tim Burton to play the Mad Hatter in the director's 3-D, performance capture take on "Alice in Wonderland."
A 2010 release date is planned for "Alice," the latest collaboration between the "Sweeney Todd," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Ed Wood" partners.
It's Depp's second commitment to an animated project in less than a month, having signed on for "Rango," to be directed by "Pirates" helmer Gore Verbinski.
The announcement about the development of "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" also wasn't a surprise, since viciously negative reviews and a 168 minute running time couldn't prevent 2007's "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" from taking in over $960 million worldwide.
The Disney event's bigger surprise, according to media reports, was the revelation that Depp will play trusty sidekick Tonto in the studio's in-development "Lone Ranger" project. Disney apparently has no reservations about casting a non-Native American actor in the role.
Depp will next be seen in Terry Gilliam's "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" and in Michael Mann's "Public Enemies."
Will Smith Eyes 'Legend' Prequel
'I Am Legend' prequel in development
Warner Bros. is developing a prequel to "I Am Legend," with Will Smith on board to return.
According to Variety, original "I Am Legend" director Francis Lawrence and producer Akiva Goldsman have been working up a prequel outline with Smith and his Overbrook Entertainment producing partner James Lassiter.
D.B. Weiss has been recruited to write the script, while Lawrence would direct.
The trade paper says that the film will cover the last days leading up to where the 2007 original began, with Smith's character (and his trusty dog) roaming New York City as the lone human survivor following an outbreak.
Under normal circumstances, a film that grossed $584 million worldwide would have been fodder for immediate sequel treatment. [spoiler=possible original movie ending spoiler. . .]
However, given the situation surrounding Smith's character at the end of the movie and given the "Hancock" star's centrality to the original's box office performance, a prequel was the only viable option. :bunny:
[/spoiler]
Johnny Depp Will Play 'Pirates,' Indians and Mad Hatter
'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Lone Ranger' roles on tap
Disney is keeping Johnny Depp busy with a fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" film and co-starring turns in "The Lone Ranger" and "Alice and Wonderland."
Since Depp's first three "Pirates of the Caribbean" films added $2.6 billion in worldwide box office to the Disney coffers, it was no surprise that the company made him its unofficial posterboy at its Wednesday (Sept. 24) presentation in Hollywood.
Perhaps the most predictable piece of Depp-related casting announced at the event was that the Oscar nominated actor will reunite with Tim Burton to play the Mad Hatter in the director's 3-D, performance capture take on "Alice in Wonderland."
A 2010 release date is planned for "Alice," the latest collaboration between the "Sweeney Todd," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Ed Wood" partners.
It's Depp's second commitment to an animated project in less than a month, having signed on for "Rango," to be directed by "Pirates" helmer Gore Verbinski.
The announcement about the development of "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" also wasn't a surprise, since viciously negative reviews and a 168 minute running time couldn't prevent 2007's "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" from taking in over $960 million worldwide.
The Disney event's bigger surprise, according to media reports, was the revelation that Depp will play trusty sidekick Tonto in the studio's in-development "Lone Ranger" project. Disney apparently has no reservations about casting a non-Native American actor in the role.
Depp will next be seen in Terry Gilliam's "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" and in Michael Mann's "Public Enemies."
Will Smith Eyes 'Legend' Prequel
'I Am Legend' prequel in development
Warner Bros. is developing a prequel to "I Am Legend," with Will Smith on board to return.
According to Variety, original "I Am Legend" director Francis Lawrence and producer Akiva Goldsman have been working up a prequel outline with Smith and his Overbrook Entertainment producing partner James Lassiter.
D.B. Weiss has been recruited to write the script, while Lawrence would direct.
The trade paper says that the film will cover the last days leading up to where the 2007 original began, with Smith's character (and his trusty dog) roaming New York City as the lone human survivor following an outbreak.
Under normal circumstances, a film that grossed $584 million worldwide would have been fodder for immediate sequel treatment. [spoiler=possible original movie ending spoiler. . .]
However, given the situation surrounding Smith's character at the end of the movie and given the "Hancock" star's centrality to the original's box office performance, a prequel was the only viable option. :bunny:
[/spoiler]