We're celebrating! It's the Zone's 5th birthday at this site!

Yes, this venture of Sleepy’s and mine has been underway for five full years now, continuing the Johnny Depp Zone tradition that has been operating in one form or another for more than 11 years. We officially opened the “new” Zone on July 9, 2004, the first anniversary of the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. When we began the website, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory had just started shooting at Pinewood, Corpse Bride had just been announced, there were rumors Finding Neverland would finally be released in the fall, and Johnny’s production company, Infinitum Nihil, had just been formed. The Libertine was in post-production and headed for a work-in-progress showing at the Toronto Film Festival.

How time flies! Not only have we seen Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride and The Libertine make their way into theaters, but we’ve watched every step of the production of the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End; we’ve heard Johnny sing his way to a Golden Globe win and an Oscar nomination in Sweeney Todd; we’ve eagerly watched the filming of Michael Mann’s Public Enemies, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Gore Verbinski’s Rango, and Bruce Robinson’s The Rum Diary. Now we look foward to Dark Shadows, Pirates 4, Rex Mundi and The Lone Ranger . . . just to mention a few of the more prominent projects on Johnny Depp’s dance card.

As we celebrate and reminisce on the Porch today, I’d like to thank Sleepy and the Zone staff–Theresa, Joni, Shadow, AnaMaria, Liz, and DeppintheHeartofTexas–for their dedication and hard work. Many thanks to everyone who has helped us along the way, and to all of our members for making the Zone a wonderful place to be. Most of all, we send thanks and much love always to Johnny Depp, for being a continual source of inspiration and delight–he’s the reason we’re here! –Part-Time Poet

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