As we wrap up the year in cinema that is 2010, we’re seeing a lot of the trailers for the big summer pictures of 2011. We’ve already gotten The Green Lantern and Thor, recently we got Transformers 3, and now we’re getting Pirates 4, or as it’s officially titled, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
When Jerry Bruckheimer and company chased this project, I was of two conflicting thoughts, the positive being that pirate adventure (or just adventure-adventure) stripped of Orlando Bloom (or as Paul Schneider termed him “Or-Blando Gloom”) and Keira Knightley could be a good deal of fun, the negative being that this is a cash grab sequel done because franchise pictures is the business Hollywood most wants to be in, and it seems this teat ain’t dry. I think it was about 60% “this is a bad idea” and with the hiring of Rob Marshall (helmer of Chicago and Nine) that went higher because it seemed like a award hack trying to get out of director jail.
Watching the trailer, I am not encouraged. This trailer seems to be selling Depp, Depp, Depp as Jack, Jack, Jack. And Penelope Cruz playing a fiery Latino. Oh, and Geofrey Rush is back, but looks like in an extended cameo, and there appears to be a new Bloom and Knighley in the film. If those characters exist to parody the originals, I’m in, but otherwise… The one thing that’s kind of cool is that Ian McShane is playing Blackbeard, and that’s pretty great casting, even if McShane took the “celebrated actor, will do anything” tour after breaking out with both Sexy Beast and Deadwood. Anyway, I’m not sold, and I have no idea how the public’s going to react to the return of Capt. Jack Sparrow.
Here’s the trailer, and let us know what you think of the boards or below: