Sparrow faces rival in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 5′

Jack Sparrow returns for the fifth time in “Pirates of the Caribean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” trailer.

In the hair-raising trailer released on Monday, the trouble-making and mellow buccaneer (Johnny Depp) is shown to be soaked in mud as he faces his adversary, Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) unblocked games mills eagles.

Salazar, fleeing from the Devil’s Triangle, happens to lead a syndicate of ghost pirates who target to systematize a “killing spree” for all pirates.

(Read also: Shyamalan's 'Split' leads box office for third weekend)

Sparrow will be assisted by his crew composed of Captain Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush), Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Joshamee Gibbs unblock sites in pakistan (Kevin McNally).

To counter Salazar evil’s forces, Sparrow must also team up with a prodigious astronomer, Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a young sailor in the Royal Navy, to locate the Trident of Poseidon.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man Tell No Tales” will first grace theaters on May 26. The film’s previous franchises, chiefly “Dead Man’s Chest” and “On Stranger Tides,” have grossed billions of dollars.

Commentary (my Johnny Depp Rocks! Sweeney Todd review):

 I consider Johnny Depp Rocks! to be more an informational site than a weblog, and I don't generally give my own viewpoints.  I'm also not much of a movie reviewer!  However, I had the wonderful opportunity to see an advance screening of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street here in the DC area on Thursday, December 6, and I just couldn't resist giving my own thumbs-up to this film!!  Johnny and director Tim Burton have really outdone themselves in this, their sixth collaboration, and the first in which Johnny (and the rest of the cast) sing!  The film is said to be about 80% singing, but it is done so naturalistically that the singing becomes fitting and natural as well; it simply becomes accepted as a means for the characters to communicate and express their feelings.  Johnny, who received no formal vocal training and claims never to have sung a complete song before now, reveals an amazing gift.  Not only can he sing very well, but through his singing, he is able to convey all of the heartbreak, despair, anger, and ultimately, the insanity of the title character.  Oh, and yes, there's a healthy dose of dry wit and sarcasm thrown in, as well!  As for Helena Bonham Carter, I felt her singing voice was satisfactory, if not remarkable.  But she offers a completely fresh and dazzling take on Mrs. Lovett, bringing out the character's yearning, sensuality, and amoral practicality, and in the context of the film, her voice works extremely well.  Alan Rickman is sinister and menacing as Judge Turpin, Timothy Spall is deliciously sleazy as Beadle Bamford, and Sacha Baron Cohen is hilarious as the flamboyant Pirelli; all have wonderful singing voices, as well.  Laura Michelle Kelly, the only professional singer in the cast, is mysterious and intriguing in a small role.  Among the younger cast members, Jamie Campbell Bower perfectly conveys the youthful exuberance of the young sailor, Anthony Hope, and Jayne Wisener gives probably the best vocal performance of the cast as Johanna, Sweeney's confined daughter.  Finally, Ed Sanders is sweet and endearing as Toby, a young boy forced to grow up before his time.  Fair warning: this film is fairly bloody and is certainly not for the squeamish.  There's a reason for the R rating!  For fans of the musical, it must also be noted that some songs were cut or shortened.  In particular, much of the dialogue that would occur during several of the songs has been cut out, and all choruses have been removed.  I missed a few small details that I had seen in the stage versions, but I understand that most of these changes were made because they would not translate well to film.  Hopefully, fans of the stage version will accept these changes, and agree that this film has done justice to the music and the spirit of the piece. Overall, the film is visually and aurally stunning.  My only complaint was that it went by far too quickly!

Why Studios Are Terrified Of Johnny Depp's Characters, According To Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp is one of those actors who seems to really enjoy creating his characters. He takes inspiration from the oddest places but in doing so, he creates utterly unique looks, many of which have become iconic in their own right. Studios seem to enjoy it less. More than once, Depp has clashed with studios over his interpretation of the person he is portraying. According to the actor, the problems come in because nobody ever has the same idea about what a character is supposed to look like.

Makeup techniques have come a long way over the years. Apparently, that’s part of the problem. With prosthetics, you can make anybody look like anything. However, the image in the head of a studio chief will never be exactly what the actor is thinking, and when that actor is Johnny Depp you can pretty much forget whatever anybody else is thinking.

Nine times out of 10, if you’re wearing prosthetic makeup, you don’t look like what they want you to look like. It can be very difficult. When I did Pirates, it was a little difficult for them. … Even on Alice in Wonderland, the first one, when you come in with a character and you’ve told the director, 'This is based on a watercolor I did.' Tim (Burton) went with it — I’m sure it scared the absolute hell out of Disney. Thankfully, they’d been through the Captain Jack thing.

Johnny Depp’s comments came as part of his comments in praise of Warner Bros., who were apparently very supportive of his work on Black Mass. His comments at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Gala, as reported by USA Today, included comments that he doesn’t always get that kind of support from the studio. Then he asked if Michael Eisner was around.

Depp famously landed on the bad side of the former Disney chief during the filming of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Eiser was equally furious and terrified of Depp’s Keith Richards-inspired version of the pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. The Pirates movies became huge hits, which appear to have led to Depp being given a bit more leeway when it came to his creation of the Mad Hatter for Alice in Wonderland. His longtime collaborator Tim Burton let him go with it, and it doesn’t sound like there was any concern on Disney’s part, at least not loud enough for Depp to hear.

Studio concern is understandable. Sometimes Johnny Depp’s outrageous plans strike gold, other times not. Sometimes you get Captain Jack Sparrow, and sometimes you get Mortdecai. Depp is one of the biggest actors in Hollywood, but he’s not immune to bombs. He topped Forbes' most recent list of the most overpaid actors in Hollywood. He's earned some trust. Right?

Johnny Depp's Near-Death Experience On the Set of 'The Lone Ranger' (SEE IT)

In a new featurette for the upcoming film "The Lone Ranger," which documents the new Disney film's dangerous scene work, Johnny Depp is caught on tape experiencing a near-death experience after falling from a horse and being trampled on, NME reports.

 

During filming of "The Lone Ranger," Johnny Depp experienced a near-death experience after being trampled by a horse. (Photo : Reuters) 

 

In a new featurette for the upcoming film "The Lone Ranger," which documents the new Disney film's dangerous scene work, Johnny Depp is caught on tape experiencing a near-death experience after falling from a horse and being trampled on, NME reports.

The actor was almost trampled to death by the animal after the accidental fall during filming of a ride-a-long scene. Other risky stunts in the film include explosions, jumping from trains and various stunt work done from high vantage points and in the middle of the wilderness, all shown in the new featurette. Depp was mostly uninjured by the fall, suffering hoof marks on his stomach yet standing and joking just moments after the accident.

Director Gore Verbinski discusses the many challenges of filming the big budget Western epic in the 2-minute promo. "Longe Ranger" is Depp's latest collaboration with Verbinski, who also directed the first three "Pirates of the Caribbean" films in which Depp starred as the drunken pirate Jack Sparrow. In the new Western, Depp plays the Native American character Tonto.

"Since cinema has been around, Native Americans have been treated very poorly by Hollywood. What I wanted to do was play Tonto not as a sidekick - like 'Go fetch a soda for me, boy!' - but as a warrior with integrity and dignity," Depp said in a recent interview with Total Film for the magazine's cover story on the movie. "It's my small sliver of a contribution to try to right the wrongs of the past."

The new summer blockbuster will feature Depp as the companion to the title character, who first appeared in a 1930s radio show and has since become an iconic Western hero, having spawned his own novels, comic books and TV series.

"The Lone Ranger" hits theaters July 4, and its filmmakers predict that audiences will be impressed by its realistic, high budget stunt work.

The Secret of Johnny Depp’s Success

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Photo by nicogenin
Did you realise you probably know Johnny Depp’s films better than he does?
That’s if we can take this interview at face value, where he claims not to have seen his latest movie Public Enemies.

Incredulous, the interviewer asks him why not. Here’s Johnny’s answer:

I’ve always kind of tried to avoid them as much as possible… I just prefer the experience. I like the experience, I like the process, I like doing the work. But then, you know if I’ve got to see myself – I don’t like to see the thing become the product, I suppose. Once they say “You’re wrapped” on the film, it really is none of your business. The director is going to take that performance or whatever options you gave him and the editor, and they’re going to do with it what they want.

From the outside, this might sound hard to believe. After all, for anyone who has dreamt of being a film star, surely watching the end product of your labours, seeing yourself up there on the big screen, is central to the fantasy?

Not for Johnny.

According to him, the exciting part is doing the work, immersing himself in the character and putting everything into his performance. After that, the film is “none of his business” – it belongs to the director.

Johnny is interested in the process, not the product.

Those of us who are actively involved in creative work will know in our hearts what he’s talking about. The minute you take your eye off the ball, forget the work in front of you and start daydreaming about money, fame and other rewards, you’re risking mediocrity.

And as we saw in my e-book about motivation and creativity, there’s a lot of research evidence to back up Johnny’s position. Harvard Business School Professor Theresa Amabile has demonstrated through her research that intrinsic motivation is strongly linked to creative excellence:
 
Extrinsic motivations such as money, fame and critical acclaim constitute rewards for creative work. While it’s nice to enjoy these things after the fact, Amabile’s research shows that focusing on them too much is a creativity killer.

Does Johnny Take It Too Far?

Johnny’s solution to the problem of creative motivation is brutally simple – he focuses exclusively on intrinsic motivation, and does his best to ignore the external rewards. I’m sure he remembers to collect his pay cheque, but by avoiding watching the movie, he minimises his investment in his screen persona and the finished artefact.

Now, many people might say this is a bit extreme, and it wouldn’t do Johnny any harm to watch his films at the cinema, and have the DVDs on heavy rotation at home. But then many people haven’t achieved a fraction of what Johnny has, creatively. So it sounds like his approach works just fine for him.

You could also argue that Johnny is in the fortunate position of having someone else to worry about marketing and shipping the ‘product’. I’m sure there are plenty of people reading this who would love to be able to focus on their creative process all day long, and hand over the messy business of business to someone else.

But listening to Johnny’s interview, and watching mesmerising performances such as Joe Pistone in Donnie Brascoe and the debauched Earl of Rochester in The Libertine, it’s hard to escape the thought that his uncompromising attitude has been critical to his success.

While millions dream of being a famous actor, Johnny Depp concentrates on acting.

Is it a coincidence that he’s the one who made it?

What Do You Think?

What do you make of Johnny Depp’s claim that he avoids watching his own films?

When working on a creative project, do you find the potential rewards motivating or a distraction?

Do you think it’s a good idea for an artist to focus on the creative work, to the exclusion of everything else?

Amber Heard CHARGED after illegally smuggling dogs into Australia on Johnny Depp's jet

AMBER HEARD has been charged with illegally bringing her two dogs - Pistol and Boo - into Australia on Johnny Depp's private jet, it's been reported.

WENN

Amber has been charged with illegally smuggling dogs into Australia

The actress was charged this week with two counts of illegally importing Pistol and Boo into Australia and one count of producing a false document, the Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions revealed earlier today.

The importation charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of 102,000 Australian dollars ($75,000). 

WENN

Amber and her dogs hit headlines earlier this year

PINTEREST

Johnny with one of his pet pups

Her lawyers could petition the court to appear on her behalf, but given the seriousness of the charge, it's likely she'll need to appear in person.

Even if she is convicted though, Johnny Depp's wife is unlikely to face a lengthy jail term since the dogs were flown back to the US before a 72-hour deadline, Bill Potts, a criminal defense attorney based in the Queensland capital, Brisbane, said.

"The seriousness of the offense is not whether two little puppies - who look like they could give you a nasty nip on the ankle - are dreadful animals, it's about the risk to biosecurity," Potts said. 

"Was there a risk? Potentially, but not actually. And I'm sure the court will take all of those things into account."

WENN

Amber was issued a summons to appear in a Queensland court on September 7

Australia has strict quarantine regulations to prevent diseases such as rabies from spreading to its shores.

Bringing pets into the country involves applying for a permit and quarantine on arrival of at least 10 days.

The dog drama kicked off in May, with Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce threatening to euthanise the pups at the time, unless the couple flew them back to the US.

Joyce dismissed suggestions on Thursday that charging the actress made Australia look mean.

"The law is the same for everybody," he told reporters in the western city of Perth. "There is no preferential treatment here. You come into our nation, you have to abide biosecurity protocols."

WENN

Amber flew the dogs into Oz on husband Johnny Depp's private jet

Johnny Depp's model daughter Lily-Rose becomes official ambassador for Chanel

JOHNNY DEPP’s daughter has been named an official ambassador for Chanel

GETTY

Johnny Depp's model daughter Lily-Rose has signed a contract with Chanel

With her mother Vanessa Paradis, 42, having held a similar role with the fashion house since 1990, Lily-Rose, 16, follows in her footsteps.

Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld has a history of hiring bright young things, having linked up with Brit singer Lily Allen and actress Keira Knightley.

CHANEL

The teen beauty is the spitting image of her mother Vanessa Paradis

The 81-year-old says of his newest employee: "Lily-Rose is stunning, she’s a young girl from a new generation with all the qualities of a star."

And conveniently with a huge film star father too. 

It's safe to say Lily-Rose is a chip off the old block with the girl looking the spitting image of her beautiful mother.

It looks like fans might be seeing more of young Lily-Rose as it was rumoured the youngster has landed a starring role playing opposite her famous father in a film directed by Kevin Smith.

CHANEL

Lily also has hopes of becoming an actress

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 15-year-old has been cast in the lead role of Yoga Hosers with Johnny making a brief appearance too.

Her mother and father split two years ago, and Johnny has since moved on to marry Hollywood movie star Amber Heard.

Speaking about his daughter last year, Johnny said: "She's a sharp kid, very sophisticated, super intelligent and... scary.

"So she could be the sweetest thing in the world, which most of the time she is, and suddenly I’m in trouble for something," he told the US TV host Ellen DeGeneres.