It’s so easy to be sceptical of the next Pirates film, and we like a challenge…
Pirates of the Caribbean has become a tired and disappointing franchise that is perhaps best left in the dust, however there is no denying that even Stranger Tides made a ton of cash and a new movie seems inevitable. With the news yesterday that the sequel is due to start filming in early 2015 we figured that we would look for a few reasons to be genuinely interested in Dead Men Tell No Tales, we were surprised to find that it wasn’t actually a difficult task! Pirates 5 may well end up being a disappointment, but here are five reasons why you shouldn’t give up all hope:
5. The budget has been lowered
After the humongous flop that was The Lone Ranger the budget has been lowered on Pirates 5 by a fifth. Now a loss of 50 million dollars has to sting, even if the budget still stands at $200. Hopefully this means that there may be a reappraisal of what is actually needed in the film. It should serve as a bit of a wake-up call that you can’t just redo Black Pearl again and again and just make Jack Sparrow more and more insane. There is still a lot of money floating around for good effects and exciting battles but hopefully we may now see scenes which have interesting narrative purpose, rather than say having a massive battle in a whirlpool simply because it looks cool.
4. It may be the last one
Now we know what you are thinking – ‘that does sound like a reason to celebrate!’ and yes we agree, but that isn’t what we mean here. The reason that Pirates 5 potentially being the last one is a good thing is because its rare for a series to get a decent, well thought out ending, and it seems like Dead Men may actually be one. Johnny Depp has said that he has ‘high hopes’ for it and followed that up by saying ‘if that’s really the last one, which it probably is, I feel that we owe it to the audience who went and saw the films so many times. We’ll do it right and end it on a high note’. Depp and his choices in films haven’t exactly been reliable as of late, but if his thoughts are indicative of the general approach to the movie then, fingers crossed, we may get a decent end to the Pirates saga.
3. Christoph Waltz may be in it
Now this is far from confirmed, but if Waltz is in the next Pirates movie then our faith in it automatically will go up several notches. He is a great actor who it seems can easily create a fun memorable character when given decent material. Just think of his appearance in Inglorious Basterds in order to think what he could do with the lead villain character in a Pirates movie!
2. Rønning and Sandberg directed Kon-Tiki
The day it was announced that Rønning and Sandberg would be helming the next Pirates movie was a good day for anyone looking forward to the movie. They directed Kon-Tiki – a seafaring adventure that was very solid and has received a lot of critical praise and awards since it came out. We cannot wait to see what they bring to a franchise that has long needed a firm grip that belongs to someone who understands sea based movies.
1. The focus may not be entirely upon Depp and Jack Sparrow.
Black Pearl is the only film to have gotten the formula correct for these movies because it is the only one which has Jack Sparrow as a side character as supposed to front, center and dancing all over the screen. The reason that Depp’s interpretation of the character worked so well in the first film is because he wasn’t the focus; we saw him through Will and Elizabeth’s perspective as a somewhat crazed and unpredictable character who was infinitely interesting. Put us in Sparrow’s shoes and you see many many Jacks, rock crabs and bloody peanuts. The fifth film needs to refocus on someone other than Depp, and although it’s doubtful that it will be brave enough to fully do that, all the talk of a witch/scientist character and a farming couple does suggest we won’t be solely focusing on crazy Jack.
So what do you think? Agree with what we have said? Think we are just fools? Let us know in the comment box below!
