Articles from May 2011



DARK SHADOWS won’t be in 3D, says director Tim Burton

In Los Angeles this weekend to celebrate the opening of the Tim Burton exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the busy filmmaker found time to talk to Jordan Riefe of The Wrap about his work, his long-time collaboration with Johnny Depp, and his current work-in-progress — the new adaptation of cult classic Dark Shadows, currently shooting at Pinewood Studios. Since the previous Burton-Depp film, the phenomenally successful Alice in Wonderland, was released in 3D, naturally the director was asked if Dark Shadows will be in 3D as well. “I have no plans for that,” Burton replied. “I loved doing Alice in 3D,” but the director doesn’t feel the process suits every work. “There’s people [saying] like, ‘Everything’s gonna be in 3D,’ or ‘I hate 3D!’ I think people should have a choice. I don’t think it should be forced on anybody.” Burton does not envision an all-3D future for the industry: “It’s like ‘Yes or no!? 3D! Yes or no?!’ [. . . C]ome on, whatever, some yes, some no.”

The Zone thanks Theresa and Poppet for sharing the Burton interview. You can read more about Tim Burton’s interview with The Wrap on the Zone’s Porch General Discussion forum, and more about the filming of Dark Shadows on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

“This part is like a gift from the heavens”–Eva Green talks about DARK SHADOWS

French actress Eva Green plays the witch Angelique opposite Johnny Depp’s vampire Barnabas Collins in Tim Burton’s new version of Dark Shadows. Journalist Stephanie Rafanelli, who recently profiled Ms. Green for Harper’s Bazaar (UK edition), calls the casting “inspired. [. . . ] Green is surely a kindred spirit of the Holy Trinity of Burton, Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp.” Green is thrilled to be working on a Tim Burton film: “This part is like a gift from the heavens,” she told Rafanelli. “Burton is a god. My favourite film is Beetlejuice. It was my childhood,” Green declared. “I love the fact that he is like a child. He gets excited so quickly.”

Rafanelli thinks Eva Green “could have been Edward Scissorhands’ twin sister,” noting that Green and Johnny Depp “share a quality that seems born of another time.” To see a larger version of the photo of Eva Green CLICK HERE. Of their roles in Dark Shadows, Green says, “Johnny and I are like The Eagle with Two Heads [a classic Jean Cocteau film]. In some ways, we are the same creature.”

The Zone thanks Emma for sharing the article; you can read more about Dark Shadows on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

Dark Shadows is currently filming at Pinewood Studios and is scheduled for release May 11, 2012.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES rocks the worldwide box office–$346 million!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides easily trounced the competition at the U.S. box office, earning an estimated $90.1 million in its first weekend of release. On Stranger Tides, starring Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, and Ian McShane, can boast the biggest U.S. opening for a film this year, besting Fast Five‘s opening take of $86 million. Still, the U.S. figures are a bit softer than expected — Disney was looking for a $100 million opening weekend in North America. The Hollywood Reporter says that the Pirates numbers reflect “the overall downturn at the domestic box office and the fact that it’s been four years since the last installment in the blockbuster franchise played on the big screen.”

Overseas, however, On Stranger Tides is off to a dazzling start, grossing 10 percent ahead of the last POTC installment, At World’s End. In just five days of release abroad, On Stranger Tides has earned $256 million. Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations writes, “Don’t be fooled by naysayers who are calling this a misfire, as it’s well on its way to being one of the top films of the summer on a global scale, as its early $346 million cume clearly indicates.”

The Zone thanks Emma and FANtasticJD for box office updates; you can read more on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

Today’s the day–PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES sails into North American theaters!

The fourth installment of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, On Stranger Tides, opens at 4,166 movie theaters in the U.S. and Canada today, including 256 IMAX locations (a record number). Directed by Rob Marshall, On Stranger Tides stars Johnny Depp in his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow, with new cast members Penelope Cruz as Angelica and Ian McShane as the villainous Blackbeard; Geoffrey Rush returns as Captain Hector Barbossa. On Stranger Tides has already opened in many overseas markets — the international run began on Wednesday — and is doing robust business abroad, having already grossed more than $44 million.

In a recent interview, Stephen Galloway of The Hollywood Reporter asked Johnny how he would feel about doing a fifth Pirates film, for which a script is “already in the works.” Johnny replied, “I’ve seen nothing yet. It boils down to story, script and filmmaker.” But Captain Jack’s alter ego, whose dance card is very full, indicated he is in no rush to do another sequel. “[I]t’s not something where I would say, ‘Let’s shoot it next month to get it out by Christmas 2012.'” Johnny said. “We should hold off for a bit. They should be special, just like they’re special to me.”

The Zone thanks Sleepy and Emma for box office reports, and AnaMaria for the interview. You can read much more about On Stranger Tides on the Zone’s News & Views forum; for Zoner’s personal reviews of the film, see the Porch General Discussion forum.

Filming begins for Tim Burton’s DARK SHADOWS, starring Johnny Depp!

Filming has begun at Pinewood Studios on Tim Burton’s new version of the Gothic-camp classic Dark Shadows, which will feature an extraordinary ensemble that includes Johnny Depp as the iconic vampire Barnabas Collins; Eva Green as the witch Angelique Brouchard; Michelle Pfeiffer as the family matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard; Helena Bonham Carter as psychiatrist Dr. Julia Hoffman; Jackie Earle Haley as caretaker Willie Loomis; Jonny Lee Miller as Elizabeth’s shady brother Roger Collins; newcomer Gulliver McGrath as Roger’s precocious 10-year-old son David; Bella Heathcote as David’s new nanny, Victoria Winters; and Chloe Moretz as Elizabeth’s rebellious teenaged daughter Carolyn.

According to a press release from Warner Bros., Dark Shadows is being filmed entirely in England, both at Pinewood Studios and on location. Warner Bros. has scheduled Dark Shadows for a release date of May 11, 2012 — less than a year away!

The Zone thanks Theresa for sharing the news; you can read much more about Dark Shadows on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

Johnny Depp’s Tonto gets a Lone Ranger at last–it’s Armie Hammer!

The long search for Tonto’s Kemo Sabe (trusted friend) is over — Armie Hammer will don the Lone Ranger’s black mask for the new Disney version of the classic Western, Variety reports. Lone Ranger will be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski from a script by Justin Haythe, and will star Johnny Depp as Tonto alongside Hammer’s Texas Ranger. A star on the rise, Hammer is probably best known for playing the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network; he recently wrapped a featured role as Clyde Tolson in the upcoming biography J. Edgar (opposite Leonardo DiCaprio), and will play the prince in Relativity Media’s Snow White adaptation. To see a larger photo of Armie Hammer, CLICK HERE. According to Variety, the casting of Hammer as the Ranger “moves the project forward for a fall start, making it Bruckheimer’s next tentpole after the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean pic sets sail this weekend.”

If Variety is correct about the scheduling, Lone Ranger would be Johnny Depp’s next project after he finishes playing the vampire Barnabas in Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows, which begins filming at Pinewood Studios this week. Lone Ranger has no release date scheduled, but Variety speculates that the film could debut “as early as fall 2012.”

The Zone thanks SeaGoddessCalypso for sharing the news; you can read more about Lone Ranger on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

Rob Marshall signs to direct Johnny Depp in remake of THE THIN MAN

Rob Marshall has officially signed on to direct a new version of the Dashiell Hammett mystery classic The Thin Man for Warner Bros., from a script by Jerry Stahl; the film will star Johnny Depp as sophisticated sleuth Nick Charles. The plum role of Nora Charles, Nick’s partner in wit, glamor and crime-solving, is not yet cast, and is certain to have every A-list actress in Hollywood phoning her agent at once. Marshall and John DeLuca also join the project as producers, with their Lucamar Productions partnering with Johnny’s Infinitum Nihil and Kevin McCormick’s Langley Park Pictures. “John [DeLuca] and I are overjoyed at the idea of working with Johnny again, especially on such a classy and classic project,” Marshall told the press. “We are also thrilled to be partnering this time with such wonderful producers as Christi Dembrowski [for Infinitum Nihil] and Kevin McCormick, and we are looking forward to working with Warner Bros. to create a reinvention of a beloved story.”

The Thin Man first graced the screen in 1934, with William Powell and Myrna Loy playing Nick and Nora Charles. The film was a critical and popular success and spawned several sequels.

The Zone thanks FANtasticJD and Fireflydances for sharing articles about The Thin Man; you can read more about this project on the Zone’s Porch general discussion forum.

Johnny Depp on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet–new photos!

Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz brought old-time Hollywood glamor to the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, as they arrived for the screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides on Saturday night. Johnny wore a white tuxedo jacket over formal black trousers and vest, but left the traditional bow tie at home; Penelope dazzled in a beaded violet Marchesa gown. To see a larger version of the photo at left, CLICK HERE; to see a portrait of Johnny, CLICK HERE, and to see Johnny waving at the crowd as he arrives (with Jerry Judge behind him), CLICK HERE.

Befitting the honor of their invitation to appear at Cannes, the talented artists who made On Stranger Tides turned out in force. You can see a cast photo HERE; from left to right, Sam Claflin; Astrid Berges-Frisbey; Geoffrey Rush; Penelope Cruz; Johnny Depp; director Rob Marshall; producer Jerry Bruckheimer; Ian McShane. The Zone thanks Evochka and HonestGirl for sharing the photos; you can read more about the Cannes Film Festival screening of On Stranger Tides on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

BREAKING NEWS–Johnny Depp arrives at the Cannes Film Festival!

Johnny Depp arrived at the Cannes Film Festival today, attending a photocall and press conference prior to the screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Johnny’s look for the photocall was charmingly informal yet debonair — a white vest, white-and-blue striped collarless shirt, stone trousers (with suspenders dangling at the sides), scarves knotted around his neck, and a familiar fedora. To see a larger version of the photo at left, CLICK HERE, and to see Johnny waving to the crowd, CLICK HERE. You can see the natural beauty of the harbor behind Johnny at the photocall HERE — stunning!

Johnny’s On Stranger Tides co-star, Penelope Cruz, dazzled in a navy blue Stella McCartney dress; you can see photos of Johnny and Penelope HERE and HERE. The Zone thanks Evochka for sharing the photos; you can read much more about the Cannes screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

Johnny Depp in London at the premiere of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES!

That’s Johnny Depp signing autographs for British fans at the London premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides on Thursday — not at the familiar Leicester Square venue (which is undergoing construction at the moment), but at the Vue Cinema at Westfield Shopping Centre. (To see a larger photo of Johnny signing autographs, CLICK HERE, and to see a photo of Johnny waving to the crowd, CLICK HERE. Adding to the unusual ambiance was the bright blue (not red) carpet that awaited the movie’s stars. You can see Johnny and Penelope Cruz (in a floor-length white gown with a train) on the blue carpet HERE, and smiling for photographers HERE. To see a full-cast photo of the London premiere attendees, CLICK HERE; from left to right, producer Jerry Bruckheimer; Ian McShane; Sam Claflin; Astrid Berges-Frisbey; Johnny Depp; Penelope Cruz; Geoffrey Rush; director Rob Marshall.

One particular delight of the London premiere was Johnny’s reunion with self-described “budding pirate” Beatrice Delap, a student at Meridian Primary School in Greenwich, who last autumn wrote a letter to Johnny asking for his help in staging a mutiny against her teachers. That letter brought Captain Jack Sparrow and other pirates, in full costume, for an impromptu visit to Beatrice and a most welcome and memorable interruption to the school day — one the students and faculty of Meridian Primary will never forget. You can see Johnny greeting Beatrice with a hug HERE and posing for photos with the beautiful young lady HERE.

The Zone thanks Emma, In-too-Depp, Evochka, AnaMaria, and HonestGirl for sharing news and photos from the London premiere. You can read much more about it, including accounts from Zoners who were there, on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

Johnny Depp visits Moscow for the Russian premiere of ON STRANGER TIDES–new photos!

The photo at left shows a dapper Johnny Depp, in a navy suit and blue shirt, arriving at the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in Moscow on May 11; to see a larger version of the portrait, CLICK HERE. This was Johnny’s first visit to Moscow to promote one of his films, and he, co-star Penelope Cruz (looking fabulous), and producer Jerry Bruckheimer had a very busy day which began with a press conference and photocall. To see Johnny and Penelope laughing at the press conference, CLICK HERE, and to see them posing for pictures on the roof of the Ritz Hotel, with the beautiful Moscow skyline behind them, CLICK HERE.

Then came the official Russian premiere of On Stranger Tides, and another very enthusiastic reception for the pirate crew. To see Johnny arriving on the red carpet, CLICK HERE. You can see a photo of Johnny and Penelope at the premiere HERE, and Johnny, Penelope, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer HERE. To see Johnny waving to the crowd and signing some autographs in a crush of well-wishers, CLICK HERE and HERE. Yes, that is security chief Jerry Judge right at Johnny’s back.

The Zone thanks Evochka and HonestGirl for sharing photographs, and the Russian fansites johnnydepp.ru and burtonland.ru. Congratulations to Zoners Kitaika and Angelina who were able to see Johnny in person during his visit — a dream come true for them and so many others in Moscow. You can read much more about the Moscow premiere on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

Why Johnny Depp fears dancing–a new interview with EXTRA

Extra conducted a lengthy (and quite marvelous) interview with Johnny Depp during the press junket for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. But one segment that caught Johnny by surprise was when the interviewer said, “I learned today, from your director, Rob Marshall, that you are one heckuva dancer.” High praise from an award-winning choreographer and the director of Chicago. “You know,” Johnny responded, “he just says that to try to make me feel good.”

EXTRA: He said that you were going to say that he was just giving you a compliment. But he said that you really are a good dancer.

JOHNNY DEPP: I find that really . . . right up next to impossible to believe. Because I fear dancing.

EXTRA: You fear it?

JOHNNY DEPP: I actually fear it.

EXTRA: Why?

JOHNNY DEPP: Because, you know, it’s one of those things . . . I can appreciate it from a distance, and the expression of it, and all that, and the form . . . but I fear it because it’s just so odd, the idea of it. For me. Even when I was a little kid, going to school dances and stuff like that, never did I dance. Never. Never.

EXTRA: Not once?

JOHNNY DEPP: No. Couldn’t do it.

EXTRA: But you dance in this film. With Penelope [Cruz, who plays Angelica]. A little dance.

JOHNNY DEPP: Yeah . . . but I was sort of forced to. And also, it was Penelope, so we had a good laugh. And Rob and John were terrific in terms of the choreography, because at the very least it was a sort of drunken dance.

We’ll be watching for that dance in On Stranger Tides! The Zone thanks Emma for sharing the video interview; you can read much more about On Stranger Tides on the Zone’s News & Views forum. The full interview is available on the Extra website HERE. To see a larger version of the photo of Johnny, CLICK HERE.

BREAKING NEWS–Johnny Depp arrives at Disneyland for the world premiere of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES!

The moment has finally arrived — Rob Marshall’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is about to have its world premiere at Disneyland (as soon as it gets dark enough), and its star, Johnny Depp, has arrived to walk the black carpet past an estimated 20,000 screaming fans. Johnny is wearing a black shirt, black trousers, a thin white belt, a black-and-white jacket, and some familiar necklaces. To see a larger version of the photo at left, CLICK HERE, and to see Johnny being interviewed on the black carpet, CLICK HERE. For a photo of Johnny that shows some of the crowd in the bleachers, CLICK HERE, and to see a photo of Johnny with his POTC dad, Keith Richards, CLICK HERE.

The Zone thanks HonestGirl, Chocolat, and Aida for sharing the pictures. You can read much more about the Disneyland premiere and On Stranger Tides on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

Congratulations to Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane, Rob Marshall, Jerry Bruckheimer, and the entire cast and crew of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. We hope you have a wonderful premiere!

Johnny Depp (as Captain Jack Sparrow) on cover of new ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY!

That handsome pirate at left is none other than Captain Jack Sparrow — yes, we’ve heard of him — gracing the cover of the May 13, 2001 issue of Entertainment Weekly; the headline reads “How to Build a Better Pirate: Depp Brings ‘New Blood’ to Pirates 4.” The article, by Adam B. Vary, contains a new interview with Johnny where he explores the “burden of responsibility” he felt to the loyal POTC audience. “Depp exercised increased authority over the film at the script stage to avoid some of the swollen and muddled story lines that critics felt waterlogged the last two movies,” Vary reports. According to Johnny, “With this one, in terms of story, my involvement was a little more just because I felt if we were going to do a 4, that more than anything we owed the audience a fresh start, without all the complicated mathematics of 1 colliding with 2 and 2 colliding with 3. [. . .] I felt it was very important to eliminate as many complications as possible.”

Johnny describes “his mission for the fourth movie” in these words: “Let’s give them something character-driven. Something fun and irreverent. Hoops of fire and whatnot. New blood, as it were.”

The May 13th issue of Entertainment Weekly goes on sale on Friday, May 6th. The Zone thanks AnaMaria and Emma for sharing the news, and Theresa for the cover photo. To see a larger version of the EW cover, CLICK HERE. You can read more on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

“We smashed the formula and came in with all cylinders firing”–Johnny Depp talks about ON STRANGER TIDES

In an interview with Screenslam at the Los Angeles press junket, Johnny Depp talked about the reboot of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise in On Stranger Tides. The goal, says Johnny, was to “do something fresh and deliver something fresh to the audience. Basically, to kill the formula . . . to kill any sort of formula that might have existed in terms of the pirate genre. We smashed the formula and came in with all cylinders firing.”

The key, says Johnny, is “experiencing new characters, and old characters in new situations [. . .] in areas we haven’t traveled before. [. . . ] So I feel like the new blood in Penelope and Ian McShane and Astrid and Sam added a whole new element to the piece.”

You can watch Johnny’s interview here:

Many thanks to Corinna Ortiz of Screenslam.com for sharing the video with the Zone. We love seeing Johnny talk about his work! You can find much more from the Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides press junket on the Zone’s News & Views and discussion forums.

Johnny Depp appears on THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW today!

On an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show entitled “Oprah Presents the Last-Ever Harpo Hook-Ups,” Johnny Depp arrived bearing champagne flutes to toast Oprah’s “25 years” at the helm of her talk show. “Long time no see,” Oprah said, over the cheers of the crowd. “I’m so glad you made it!” Johnny’s appearance was very brief — about two minutes — although he stayed on stage with Oprah to hear her final guest, Lady Gaga, perform “Born This Way.” His purpose for being on the show was to provide the audience with a special “hook-up,” and it involved a private film screening. Here’s the conversation between Johnny and Oprah:

OPRAH WINFREY: So unless you live under a rock — and a really big one — you know that Johnny is hitting the high seas again as Jack Sparrow. Is this role as Captain Jack Sparrow as much fun as it looks? I mean, you look like you’re having a great time.

JOHNNY DEPP: I mean, this is the fourth one, so . . . I could keep going.

OPRAH WINFREY: You could keep going?

JOHNNY DEPP: I could. I really could.

OPRAH WINFREY: Does it feel like he’s a part of you sometimes? Well, he is a part of you.

JOHNNY DEPP: He is, most definitely. Some have likened it to a form of schizophrenia. It might happen.

OPRAH WINFREY: The movie Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides doesn’t open until May 20th . . . but Johnny’s got a little hook-up for this audience. Right at this moment, buses are standing by ready to take all of you to a movie theater so that you can be the first people in the world (interrupted by screaming) . . . the first people in the world to see Johnny’s brand-new Pirates movie! And there’s one more thing–

JOHNNY DEPP: I was hoping, if you guys don’t mind, I’d like to be there for you — ’cause I want to make sure all the condiments and things are in order.

Johnny did a meet-and-greet with the audience, saying hello and shaking hands. “He was so friendly and gracious,” audience member Chris Hugg of Hebron told a reporter. “He was clean–shaven and looked like an ordinary person but extremely handsome.” Hugg’s daughter Cara Burke added, “He stopped and faced you, shook your hand and smiled at you. He was so nice about it and he really has soft hands!”

Oprah told her audience, “Now that’s a hook-up — an afternoon at the movies with Mr. Johnny Depp!” Audience member Nicole Mazzone, who won tickets to the show by submitting her “Bucket List” to Harpo Hook-Ups, told a television reporter for KCRA-Sacramento, “It was right up there with my wedding day!”

The Zone thanks Emma for sharing the video clip. You can read more about Johnny’s appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show on the Zone’s News & Views forum. To see a larger view of the photo of Johnny and Oprah, CLICK HERE, and to see Johnny talking to the crowd (wearing a leather jacket), CLICK HERE. Thanks to Theresa for the pictures.

Johnny Depp salutes ON STRANGER TIDES’ director Rob Marshall’s “incredible sense of timing”–new interview!

The photo at left shows Johnny Depp and his new short haircut as he spoke to the press about his latest film, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, in Los Angeles on May 4th. One topic on reporters’ minds was how the filmmaking experience changed with the departure of POTC trilogy director Gore Verbinski. Johnny was happy to discuss the evolution of the Pirates franchise under new director Rob Marshall, and how Marshall’s background as a choreographer informed his directing style and affected Johnny’s performance.

“Certain names were mentioned,” Johnny said, “and when Rob’s name came up I thought, ‘That’s got to be it. Let’s just hope he’s a nice guy.’ I’ve seen all of his films and he’s got a great sensibility. He’s got a great and unique approach to characters; his aesthetic sense is magnificent and his timing is perfect. So we sat down and talked, and from the first second I knew he was the guy. I just knew it.

“I don’t think there’s anyone better who could have come in and followed Gore,” Johnny added. “Rob’s approach was very respectful of what Gore built in the first three films, but at the same time he has his own signature. He gave it a very new angle; he brought a brand-new pair of eyes and a fresh look.”

Another thing Rob Marshall brought to the filmmaking, Johnny said, was his choreographer’s sense of timing. “He was incredibly efficient. [. . .] His approach was ‘let’s stay true to the heart of the story and have fun while we’re doing it.’ He has an incredible sense of timing, and his timing, his delivery, comes out of his knowledge of choreography. But boy, if you’re off just the slightest second in terms of delivery, he was on it.”

The Zone thanks Emma for sharing the interview — you can read it in its entirety on the Zone’s News & Views forum HERE. To see a larger version of the photo of Johnny from the Los Angeles press conference, CLICK HERE, and to see a full-length version of Johnny, with rolled-up white shirtsleeves displaying his tattoos, CLICK HERE. The Zone thanks Evochka and AnaMaria for sharing pictures.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES to premiere in Moscow!

Johnny Depp will make his first promotional trip to Russia on May 11th, when Disney holds a red-carpet premiere for Rob Marshall’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in Moscow. Johnny, Penelope Cruz and producer Jerry Bruckheimer are confirmed to attend the Moscow premiere. According to Variety, Disney decided to add a premiere in Moscow because “Russia has evolved into an important source of box office revenue over the years, with the construction of new multiplexes and the growth of a moviegoing middle class there.”

Rich Ross, chairman of the Walt Disney Studios, said, “Russia has become such a thriving entertainment market, and with the recent successes of Tangled and Alice in Wonderland, audiences there have shown incredible enthusiasm for our films. As Captain Jack Sparrow embarks on a brand-new adventure in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, we’re very excited to be able to premiere the film in such an exciting new locale.”

The promotional schedule for On Stranger Tides is busy indeed. The press junket begins in Los Angeles on May 4th through May 6th, followed by the world premiere at Disneyland on May 7th; the Moscow premiere on May 11th; the London premiere on May 12th; and the Cannes Film Festival screening on May 14th.

The Zone thanks Emma and SnoopyDances for breaking the news of the Moscow premiere. You can read much more about all the promotion for On Stranger Tides on the Zone’s News & Views forum.

Announcing the Zone’s 2011 Birthday Project for Mercy Corps–Unite for Japan!

One of the Zone’s most cherished traditions is our annual birthday gift for Johnny, called the Birthday Project. Each year we choose a charity which is connected to Johnny’s philanthropic interests, pool our modest contributions, and make a Zone donation to a worthy cause in his honor, as a way of celebrating and thanking Johnny for all the joy he has given us over the year.

The 2011 Johnny Depp Zone Birthday Project will benefit the Mercy Corps Fund to Help Survivors of Japan’s Earthquake. On March 3, 2011, Johnny Depp was in Tokyo for the premiere of The Tourist; as always during his trips to Japan, he was greeted by large, enthusiastic crowds at Narita Airport and at the premiere. A week later, tragedy struck — the strongest earthquake to hit Japan in a hundred years. We are heartbroken for our Japanese friends and want to help them recover and rebuild.

In a public service announcement for Unite for Japan, Johnny Depp said, “A catastrophe of this magnitude almost seems like science fiction—but it’s not. It’s real. It’s very real.” Johnny then urged all of us to make a donation and “spread the word, to unite for Japan.” You can hear Johnny’s words here:

We can think of no birthday gift more fitting than to answer his plea and give what we can to help those in Japan who have lost so much.

Your donation to Mercy Corps will be used to meet immediate and longer-term needs of Japan’s earthquake survivors. If you want to donate by credit card, please use the red “Donate Now” button on this page.

If you prefer to donate by Paypal, please use this yellow “Donate” button to link to our 2011 Birthday Project Paypal account:





If you prefer to donate by check or telephone, CLICK HERE to visit the Johnny Depp Zone’s Birthday Project forum for the telephone number and information on mailing your check.

We will be accepting donations through Johnny’s birthday, June 9, 2011. Please join us in saying “Thank you” and “Happy Birthday” to Johnny Depp. Your donation can bring comfort and support when it is needed most.