It’s no secret that Disney had high cash hopes for ‘The Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise. As soon as the first film, ‘The Curse of the Black Pearl,’ proved a money-earner back in 2003, a trilogy was announced. Following the trilogy’s success it was evident more could be reaped and once again Disney were proved right. 2011’s ‘On Stranger Tides,’ aided by its IMAX conversion, surged past the $1 Billion mark making it the second fastest movie to achieve this level of success.
It, therefore, comes as no surprise that Disney have announced a fifth movie is to be added to the franchise.
However, as producer Jerry Bruckheimer has made clear, without Johnny Depp there will be no ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’ Prior to ‘On Stranger Tides’ Bruckheimer aired his concerns regarding the stars involvement stating, “It is going to depend on the screenplay. It always does. He’s maniacal about not wanting to disappoint his audience.”
Evidently however, it’s the money that talks. Despite the previous film receiving negative criticism, The New York Times citing it as “an attempt to rejuvenate a flagging franchise,” Depp has signed a ‘cash break’ deal to star as Captain Jack Sparrow in the fifth film.
According to The Daily Mail, Depp has already earned $350 million from the franchise. The latest deal means he will be paid a percentage of the movies gross profit after the point they break even. This new deal has proved more cost-effective while Hollywood attempts to out smart the recession, however on high earning films such as the ‘Pirates’ franchise such cost-effective strategies will not affect Mr. Depp’s pay packet.
Other than Johnny Depp’s confirmed involvement, little more concerning the latest film has been revealed. What we can presume is that the movie will be a while in the pipeline as Depp is set to begin filming for another of Bruckheimer’s movies, ‘Lone Ranger’ in October.
