Disney enthusiasts who made it to the studio's big D23 Expo today were treated to surprise appearances by a batch of big name stars. Nicolas Cage (The Sorcerer's Apprentice), John Travolta (Old Dogs) and Miley Cyrus took to the stage in front of thousands of fans to promote upcoming Disney projects. But none of those celebs got the reaction Johnny Depp did when he sailed onto the stage aboard a Black Pearl replica decked out as Captain Jack Sparrow, according to the Los Angeles Times.Depp was, of course, there to help kick up the buzz on the fourth film of the Pirates of the Caribbean blockbuster franchise. Hitting theaters next summer, the title for the fourth film was officially revealed to be...are you ready?...Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Rob Marshall of Chicago and Memoirs of a Geisha fame will be taking over at the helm of On Stranger Tides after Gore Verbinski, the director of the first three Pirates movies, opted out to work on other projects.
Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook also confirmed Robert Zemeckis will be writing and directing a 3D performance capture version of the classic animated Beatles film Yellow Submarine. Zemeckis and Disney have obtained the rights to use 16 of the original recordings from the 1968 film including “All Together Now,” “All You Need Is Love,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “With A Little Help From My Friends.”
In a statement to the press issued after the announcement, Cook said, “This is truly an inspired collaboration, and a wonderful opportunity to revisit one of the most imaginative and memorable musical fantasies of all time. To be working with the amazing folks at Apple Corps, and to have Bob helming the sub is truly as good as it gets. With all those incredible Beatles songs and imagery, the spectacular vision of Bob and his pioneering team at ImageMovers Digital, and a classic adventure full of wit and action, we’re sure that moviegoers are going to have a great time on this latest trip to Pepperland.”
Zemeckis was quoted as saying, “Yellow Submarine is one of the greatest fantasy films of all time, and making this new 3D performance capture movie is a dream come true for me. With the latest advances in technology, we will be able to take moviegoers on a voyage unlike any other, and bring new excitement and dimension to Pepperland and the various sea worlds they encounter."
(Pictured: Johnny Depp in At World's End © Walt Disney Pictures)
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