Johnny Depp helped to promote the upcoming slate of Disney films by appearing in costume as Captain Jack Sparrow at the Walt Disney Studios Showcase in Hollywood on Thursday, September 22nd. According to the Hollywood Reporter, “Walt Disney Studios chairman Richard Cook took on the role of stand-up comedian Thursday as he hosted the Walt Disney Studios Showcase, which offered previews of the studio’s slate through 2008 and featured cameo appearances by Johnny Depp, Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster and Elton John. The daylong event, held at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland, treated exhibitors, retailers, merchandisers and other business partners to footage from upcoming movies.” The photo at left shows Johnny onstage at the Kodak Theatre; click HERE to see Johnny standing next to Disney chairman Richard Cook. Disney’s two PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN sequels are the keystones of its movie slate for the next two years, with DEAD MAN’S CHEST due in theaters next summer, and POTC 3 in July 2007. Shooting on the sequels has now resumed in the Bahamas.

The Zone thanks emma for breaking the story and bonnie and AnaMaria for larger versions of the pictures of Captain Jack. We hope Johnny enjoyed appearing on the Kodak Theatre stage; the Kodak is the Oscar venue, and we hope to see him stride across that stage in the near future to pick up a long-overdue statuette.