Scaled Down "Pirates 4"?

[Phantom Stranger]

 Disney Scaling Back Fourth Pirates of the Caribbean
Source: Los Angeles Times
May 4, 2010


The Los Angeles Times has published an interesting article talking about how Walt Disney Pictures is trying to keep the budget for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides under control. Here are some excerpts from the article. There is also a spoiler below, but we'll be giving you plenty of warning before you get to it...

In discussing the script for the fourth "Pirates" film, screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio were told that Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow character would spend more time on land than water because of the high cost of shooting on the high seas.

To save more money, the number and selection of filming locations changed. Whereas the prior installments were shot in the Caribbean and Los Angeles, the upcoming production will be filmed primarily in Hawaii and London, where tax credits are more favorable. The number of shooting days scheduled is 90 to 95, down from 142 on the last movie. Similarly, there are expected to be 1,300 to 1,400 visual effects shots, compared with 2,000.

As preproduction gets underway in Hawaii, Marshall and Bruckheimer are going through the script line by line looking for more places to trim costs.

Gone is one shooting location four hours north of London that would have required an overnight stay for the cast and crew. Instead, filming in London will save $3 million to $4 million.

Here it is, the spoiler you may not want to know in advance. If you don't want to know anything about specific scenes in the movie, we suggest you turn back now...

Still here? Here goes...

An "ice fair," in which jugglers and carnival acts would perform on a frozen River Thames, was excised too.

The filmmakers are also looking to shorten an elaborate carriage chase. As written, the scene in which the British pursue Jack Sparrow through the streets of London would require 12 shooting days, but it is being cut to four to six days.

Directed by Rob Marshall, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is scheduled to hit theaters on May 20, 2011.

[raycastile]

Though I favor the idea of "less is more," and I think budget limitations often lead to greater creativity and tighter storytelling, I'm a little worried about this news.  Why try to nickel and dime Pirates of the Caribbean?  People expect extravagance and flamboyance from this franchise.  It's not like they're going to lose money on it.

[mike c]

Though I favor the idea of "less is more," and I think budget limitations often lead to greater creativity and tighter storytelling, I'm a little worried about this news.  Why try to nickel and dime Pirates of the Caribbean?  People expect extravagance and flamboyance from this franchise.  It's not like they're going to lose money on it.

My sentiments exactly. Seems a bit of a wash that (for example) $3 or 4 million is at stake when the film's going to bring in at least triple its budget. It's not like they've got an untested, unproven property.

Still, I'm glad they're making it, and maybe a tighter budget will mean less absurdity.

Not that I hate absurdity.

[Jscareshock]

Ehhhhh, Ian McShane will be in it so I'll go see it.

[Mike Scott]

I thought they were wrapping this one up with the trilogy? Pretty much anything has run out of interesting ideas by then.

[Opera Ghost]

There was also an LA Times Article In Septemer. Disney bought the rights to a Novel, On Stranger Tides

Link http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=59039&offset=10

This afternoon, Walt Disney Pictures made the big announcement at the D23 Expo that the fourth "Pirates" film will hit theaters in Summer 2011 and be titled Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Speculation has already begun that the subtitle "On Stranger Tides" refers to author Tim Powers' novel with the same name. The following is the official description of the book:


Spoiler (Story details)
Puppeteer John Chandagnac, who was sailing to Jamaica to get revenge on the uncle who had stolen his father's inheritance, has no choice but to join the buccaneers who have taken him prisoner--and soon, known now as the pirate Jack Shandy, he finds himself learning to survive in a treacherous new world of cutlass-fights, sea-battles, and voodoo magic on sun-blinded tropical islands. The legendary Blackbeard is assembling a ruthless navy of pirates living and undead to voyage to the fabled Fountain of Youth, and Jack Shandy must use magic, swordsmanship, and even his puppeteer skills to free himself and the girl he has fallen in love with from Blackbeard's deadly supernatural domination.

At the end of the third "Pirates" movie, it is shown that both Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) are next eyeing the Fountain of Youth. Barbossa has "stolen" the Black Pearl back from Sparrow, but Sparrow has cut out the most important part of Barbossa's map to the Fountain of Youth.

If they will be adapting the book, will Sparrow and Barbossa have to team up again against Blackbeard? We'll have to wait and see how it will turn out.
OG

[Opera Ghost]

'Pirates' to be shot in Disney Digital 3D
Fourth pic in franchise will still debut May 20, 2011
By MARC GRASER/ Variety

Disney will lense "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" in Disney Digital 3D, rather than convert the pic in the 3D format. It will still bow May 20, 2011. Fourth pic in the franchise is again produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and star Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Production starts this summer in Hawaii.

[Opera Ghost]

Geoffrey Rush returns to 'Pirates'

Thesp to reprise his role in Disney's 'Stranger Tides'

By MARC GRASER


Geoffrey Rush will set sail for a fourth time as Captain Hector Barbossa in Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."

Thesp will play one of the few returning characters from the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced franchise, outside of Johnny Depp, who's also back as Captain Jack Sparrow, for the next installment, skedded to set anchor at megaplexes on May 20, 2011.

Stephen Graham, Penelope Cruz, as Blackbeards Daughter and Ian McShane, as Blackbeard also star.

Shooting begins this month in Hawaii with Rob Marshall helming from a script by Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott, who penned the previous pics.

[Scatter]

Never saw 1-3, and for the life of me I can't imagine seeing this one either. Blech.

[Opera Ghost]

Never saw 1-3, and for the life of me I can't imagine seeing this one either. Blech.

Dude, if you're a fan of the Disneyland/World Attraction, you need to see at least the Curse of the Black Pearl. Johnny Depps Character keeps ya coming back for more.

Also, forgot to mention, Megan Fox is rumored to be a Mermaid in this, the 4th.

[zombiehorror]

Loved all 3 of these flicks...just don't know how it'll all work out without Bloom and Knightly on board?  I think part of these flicks (and any series of course) was seeing the interaction between the principle players, not just Depp acting weird, of which they were a huge part.

Great movies for horror/fantasy and of course swashbuckling lovers!!
The first one really hooked me with the whole "zombie" angle...bastards always using zombies to sucker me in!  Part 2 definitely kept the horror vibe going with the whole Davy Jones and his crew of sea mutants.  And Part 3 was really just the continuation/wrap up of that story more like 2 & 3 are just one long movie.  4 should be interesting and I hope it proves worthy of the others.....

[Paul L]

Never saw 1-3, and for the life of me I can't imagine seeing this one either. Blech.

I caught the 1st one on TV. I liked it, but it didn't motivate me to follow the series.

[Opera Ghost]

Loved all 3 of these flicks...just don't know how it'll all work out without Bloom and Knightly on board?  I think part of these flicks (and any series of course) was seeing the interaction between the principle players, not just Depp acting weird, of which they were a huge part.

Great movies for horror/fantasy and of course swashbuckling lovers!!
The first one really hooked me with the whole "zombie" angle...bastards always using zombies to sucker me in!  Part 2 definitely kept the horror vibe going with the whole Davy Jones and his crew of sea mutants.  And Part 3 was really just the continuation/wrap up of that story more like 2 & 3 are just one long movie.  4 should be interesting and I hope it proves worthy of the others.....

I concur. The dynamic between the three will be missed, but there is Barbosa too, AND Blackbeard! Blackbeard was always my favorite Pirate as a kid!

OG

[Scatter]

Dude, if you're a fan of the Disneyland/World Attraction, you need to see at least the Curse of the Black Pearl. Johnny Depps Character keeps ya coming back for more.

Also, forgot to mention, Megan Fox is rumored to be a Mermaid in this, the 4th.

Yeah, not my favorite genre.......

[Opera Ghost]

Comicon Promo...enjoy

http://pirates-of-the-caribbean-4-trailer.blogspot.com/