News on PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 2 from Jerry Bruckheimer and others!
As the much-anticipated sequel to PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN goes into production, executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer debunked a few rumors. First, although the sequel will have a subtitle, it will NOT be called “The Treasure of the Lost Abyss,” as widely reported on IMDb and other sites. Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio have been saying for months that the “Lost Abyss” title was incorrect, but apparently nobody listens to screenwriters . . . . Second, although they hope to land Keith Richards to play a small role as Jack Sparrow’s father, that is by no means a done deal. Nor is it set in stone that they will be filming POTC 2 and POTC 3 simultaneously. “We’d like to. If Disney will write a check, we’ll do it,” Bruckheimer told LATINO REVIEW. So far only three of the original film’s four leading actors have signed to return; although Bruckheimer did not name names, the still-unsigned principal is believed to be Keira Knightley.
The latest casting rumor, reported by JoBlo, is that Latina firecracker Salma Hayek will be coming aboard POTC 2. Although she had no scenes with Johnny in their previous film, ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO, it seems likely that if Salma does join the POTC2 cast, she will be tangling with Captain Jack Sparrow. We can already picture her slapping Captain Jack’s face. Thanks to My Man Depp, Gilbert’s Girl, and Depp Inspiration for the news.
Emma reports that the Bahamas are claiming a commitment from Disney to film “more than 50 percent” of POTC2 and 3 in the island nation. This would pump enormous revenue into the Bahamas, since the two sequels are budgeted at nearly $400 million. Disney was apparently swayed by the new $76 million Gold Rock Creek Enterprises film studios being built in Grand Bahama. One of the owners of the studio, Paul Quigley, said that director Gore Verbinski and Disney executives “had been regular visitors to the Bahamas in the past two weeks, inspecting Gold Rock Creek’s film studio location in Grand Bahama, looking at possible shooting locations in the Family Islands and holding meetings in Nassau.” POTC2 is tentatively scheduled to start its location shooting in the Bahamas in May 2005.
Deppheads should be particularly intrigued by Quigley’s remark that “one island in the Exuma chain has already been identified as a possible location for filming of the movies.” We know that Johnny bought an island in the Exuma chain last June; could it be Captain Jack’s island in more ways than one?