While the cast and crew of Disney’s PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN sequels were evacuated to safety, the Black Pearl proudly weathered the storm at her regular berth at Bradford Marina in Freeport Harbour on Grand Bahama. The Bahamas Vacation Guide reports that all the ships used in filming are in good condition, and props were safely stored away before Hurricane Wilma hit. Sets sustained only minor damage, and local Bahamanian news reports that the sets can be restored “in a few days.” Shooting on the POTC sequels could resume by the weekend. You can read the Vacation Guide report and see their pictures of the Black Pearl HERE.

Meanwhile, POTC director Gore Verbinski told reporter Glen Schaefer that he will be working on the sequels for the next year and a half! “We shoot until December, then we take a month off to get some post-production work going. Then we shoot for January, February,” Gore told Schaefer. “Then we take time off to finish the second movie, then we go back and shoot another 40 days on the third film and then we go right into post-production on that film.” About the arduous schedule, Gore added, “The hard thing is the pacing, trying to get up every day, get juiced and get creative, because they’re just absolutely physically exhausting.”

The Zone thanks Gilbert’s Girl for the POTC updates and emma for the Verbinski interview–you can read both on the News & Views forum.