Pirates 5 gets an official title and synopsis

Production is finally underway for the fifth installment of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise in Queensland, Australia. This film has been in development since 2013 when directors Espen Sandberg and Joachim Ronning were brought onto the project by Jerry Bruckheimer. Seeing that production started we have received some new information regarding the title, official casting, and an official synopsis.

As previously rumored, the film's title is indeed Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Still on the casting list is the franchise's main moneymaker, Johnny Depp, as well as Javier Bardem, Kaya Scodelario, Brenton Thwaites, Geoffrey Rush, Golshifteh Farahani, Stephen Graham, and Kevin R. McNally. This will also be the first Pirates film without writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. Dead Men Tell No Tales is being written by Indiana Jones writer, Jeff Nathanson.

Here is the official synopsis:

Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down on his luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil's Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea... including him. Captain Jack's only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas. 

So there you have it. The cliffhanger with the mermaids in On Stranger Tides is being ignored and we have more ghost pirates similar to what we had in Curse of the Black Pearl. Also no mention on the fact that Will Turner still has some control over the seas because he is the captain of the Flying Dutchman.
I love the Pirates movies just like everyone else, but they need to just stop. There is only so much you can do with these characters.

As far as we know, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is set to hit theaters on July 7, 2017.

Kaya Scodelario joins Pirates of the Caribbean 5

Skins alum and recent star of The Maze Runner, Kaya Scodelario, has joined Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales as the main female lead. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer announced the casting of the British actress via Twitter. She joins returning cast member, Johnny Depp, and Pirates newcomers Javier Bardem and Brenton Thwaites.

Scodelario is fairly unknown to me as I didn't see The Maze Runner and I didn't watch Skins, but it will be interesting to see what she brings to the table and what exactly her role is. Pre-production is already moving along in Australia and Disney hopes to have this installment released in 2017.

[Rumor] Marvel seeking Johnny Depp for major role

Rumor alert!

This is minor but potentially big. According to the mighty internets, Marvel has someone in mind for Doctor Strange and that person might just be Johnny Depp. Previous rumors circling around this project included Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Viggo Mortensen potentially being cast in the lead role.

Sources are claiming that Depp accepted a meeting with Marvel to discuss the character and the role. Depp has been vocal in the past about his desire to jump on board with Marvel at some point if the opportunity presented itself. It is also notable to mention Depp's longstanding relationship with Disney. He is basically their poster child for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and has also starred in Disney films such as The Lone Ranger and Alice in Wonderland. He is also scheduled to reprise the role of the Mad Hatter in a second Alice in Wonderland installment as well as donning Captain Jack Sparrow at least once more.
Disney and Marvel are both probably thinking that Depp will draw viewers to a new, unknown character. It is also notable to mention the fact that he is a good 20-years older than the title character. Depp will be 51 this year and Doctor Strange is described to be about 30-years old. However, it has been said that if he signs the contract the script will be altered to fit him in pretty much any way possible.

Now... one important thing to remember is that we won't see a Doctor Strange movie until at least 2016. It is part of Phase Three which is kicking off with Ant-Man on July 31, 2015. The earliest we will see anything about Doctor Strange is probably a post-credits cameo after The Avengers: Age of Ultron or after Ant-Man. I wouldn't think they would hint at him earlier than that.


What do you think about all this? Would you like to see Depp enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe or do you think he should walk away?

Disney and Bruckheimer part ways

Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have decided to part ways. The two have decided to not renew their contract once it expires next year.

This partnership has been one of the most successful in Hollywood since the 1990's. By ending this partnership Disney will be able to focus more on bigger franchises and sub-divisions such as Marvel, Lucasfilm, and Pixar. It also allows Bruckheimer to produce more adult themed films. However, the partnership will continue for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales as well as a third National Treasure.The fifth Pirates film was recently delayed by Disney in an attempt to lower the insane budget.

Oddly enough it also arrives just months after the Disney/Bruckheimer film The Lone Ranger was one of the biggest financial disasters in Disney history. Fairly recent flops from Bruckheimer also include G-Force, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, and The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Jerry Bruckheimer released this statement:

“I am very appreciative of the wonderful collaboration and support I have had at the Walt Disney Company for over twenty years and the 27 movies we have made together. The good news is we will continue working together on Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure, and other projects we have developed together at the studio. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work with these amazing people at The Walt Disney Studios, many of whom have become my good friends. As we continue to make adventure films, we look forward to returning to films like Black Hawk Down, Enemy of the State, Beverly Hills Cop, and The Rock.”

I personally see Jerry Bruckheimer as another Michael Bay at this point. Give him $200 million and all you'll get is a disaster with a bunch of crazy stunts and explosions. Adios, Jerry. I don't think Disney will miss you much. 

Pirates of the Caribbean 5 official title revealed

So long POTC 5 and hello... Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Yeah, there really isn't much else to say here other than we now have the official title for the fifth Pirates movie. Dead Men Tell No Tales seems a bit long, but I guess it isn't worse than Curse of the Black Pearl. We can expect the new Pirates flick during Disney's massive release summer on July 15, 2015.

Disney to cut Pirates of the Caribbean budget

It appears that Disney might have finally learned a lesson on their latest box office failure, The Lone Ranger. It has been a month after The Lone Ranger's release and the film has only hit $175 million at the box office. And that includes the international sales they were hoping to bank on. The film came with a hefty, and expensive, advertising campaign that didn't help the film one bit.
Now with that said, rumor has it that Disney is looking to significantly reduce the budget of the announced fifth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The current budget sits at $250 million and they are looking to shave off at least $50 million. They also are looking to deprive producer Jerry Bruckheimer of the final cut he enjoyed from the previous four Pirates movies.

In addition to the failure of The Lone Ranger, Disney also had a huge embarrassment with John Carter back in 2012. The film had a budget of $250 million and only raked in $73 million in the domestic box office. Disney is apparently trying to avoid yet another box office failure and doesn't want this to become a trend. Although it seems they are already ignoring the obvious loss of interest in the Pirates franchise as Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides brought in just $241 million compared to the average of over $300 million the first three made. However, the international box office always messes everything up so it gives them a false sense of security and makes them think people want more movies.

Along with cutting the budget, Disney has brought in new directors for the fifth Pirates. Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg (Kon Tiki) were hired and are hoping to give some fresh light to the franchise.

[Random] My favorite Disneyland rides

Seeing that there is practically nothing else to talk about and so many Disney attractions are going the movie route, I figured I would share the current Disneyland attractions from my most to least favorite with #1 being the most. Bear in mind this list is limited to the rides I have been on and won't include any that I have never experienced. Good? Excellent. Here we go!

Disneyland:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean
2. Haunted Mansion (also Haunted Mansion Holiday)
3. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
4. Splash Mountain
5. Indiana Jones Adventure
6. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
7. Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin
8. Jungle Cruise
9. Star Tours (used to be higher on the list before the "new adventures" refurb)
10. Snow White's Scary Adventures
11. Pinocchio's Daring Journey
12. Space Mountain
13. Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
14. Captain EO
15. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
16. Alice in Wonderland
17. Gadget's Go Coaster
18. Matterhorn Bobsleds (love the ride, but the new sleds are downright painful)
19. Peter Pan's Flight
20. Storybook Land Canal Boats
21. Sailing Ship Columbia / Mark Twain Riverboat
22. Dumbo the Flying Elephant
23. Enchanted Tiki Room
24. Casey Jr. Circus Train
25. Finding Nemo Submarines
26. Autopia
27. Innoventions (the Iron Man exhibit was pretty cool, though)
28. Tarzan's Treehouse
29. Mad Tea Party
30. It's a Small World

California Adventure:

1. Toy Story Midway Mania
2. Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue
3. The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure
4. Radiator Springs Racers
5. Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
6. MuppetVision 3D
7. Turtle Talk with Crush
8. Goofy's Sky School
9. Grizzly River Run
10. Golden Zephyr
11. Heimlich's Chew Chew Train
12. Luigi's Flying Tires
13. Soarin' Over California
14. Jumpin' Jellyfish

Rides I have never been on:

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
California Screamin'
King Triton's Carousel
It's Tough to be a Bug
Tuck and Roll's Drive 'Em Buggies
Flik's Flyers
Francis' Ladybug Boogie
Mickey's Fun Wheel (or as I call all ferris wheels, the wheel of death)
Silly Symphony Swings
Astro Orbitor
Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes
Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer's Island
King Arthur Carrousel


As for the rides I have never been on, I'm not so good with heights and/or rollercoasters so that explains why I have never done Tower of Terror or California Screamin'. I would like to do Tower of Terror because the POV's I have seen on YouTube look awesome, but I am adult enough to admit the heights aspect and the sudden drops terrify me.



And as a bonus, because I am nice and will gladly give anyone Disneyland pointers, here is a list of some of the best food in the parks. Some of it is sit-down service but not all of it.

Disneyland:

1. Blue Bayou

This place pretty much requires a reservation (I always book 2 weeks ahead) and it is really expensive, but it is seriously delicious. The atmosphere is unbeatable, too. I mean, you are eating inside of Pirates of the Caribbean. And in all fairness you do get a decent amount of food for the price. You get bread, a choice of gumbo or salad, and an entree. Lunch is a bit cheaper than dinner but you don't have as many menu items to choose from. I ate here for the first time last year and I won't ever miss eating here at least once whenever I visit. I would advise anyone to book for lunch smack in the middle of your trip if you are staying multiple days. I usually stay for a 5-day pass so my lunch at Blue Bayou usually is on Wednesday. It's a nice middle of the week, sit-down treat.

2. Cafe Orleans

Yet another New Orleans Cafe spot that is absolutely delicious. This remains high on my list primarily because they have the best french onion soup I have ever eaten. You usually don't need a reservation and if you play your cards right you can get in and stay to watch Fantasmic and/or the nighttime fireworks show. You won't have the greatest view but you can still see. They are fairly inexpensive, too.

3. Corn Dogs

I am a big fan of corn dogs in general, but the ones at Disney are to die for. They are a pretty decent size and you get your choice of apple slices or chips to go along with for around $5 (without a drink). It's quick, filling, and available in both Disneyland and California Adventure.

4. Dole Whip Float

I'm almost impossible to describe the utter awesome that is a Dole Whip. It's worth the line. Trust me.

5. Cream Cheese Pretzel

I just had one of these earlier this year and I just about died. They are so damn good. Another treat that is pretty inexpensive, quick, and quite filling. These are also available in both parks.

6. Churros

Bottom line... delicious. Simple as that.

7. River Belle Terrace

This is an excellent place if you are looking for a spot to watch Fantasmic. The food isn't too expensive and is pretty good, but if you play it right you can get an outdoor table and watch the show from the restaurant. The CM's (aka, Cast Members) won't kick you out of the spot no matter how long you sit there because it isn't a table service restaurant. If you utilize the River Belle for Fantasmic, it's best to get there at least 90min prior to showtime and snag a table. 2 hours is best but you can usually stretch that extra half hour and still get a good spot. You can also see the fireworks from the River Belle.

California Adventure:

1. Pacific Wharf Cafe

Four words: soup in bread bowls. Not only are the sourdough bread bowls baked onsite, but the soup is so blasted delicious. I always get clam chowder but I have tried the other soups as well. You just can't go wrong with this place. The only downside is there is almost always a line (I've waited close to 30min before) and it can be real difficult to find a table outside. It all depends on what time of day you go. I have eaten my soup sitting on a bench around the corner because I couldn't find a table, but it's worth it.

2. Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill

I was skeptical about theme park Mexican food and I don't really like Mexican that much to begin with, but I was really impressed with Cocina Cucamonga. You get a very generous amount of food for the price. I got carne asada steak for $11.99 and I got a full steak, beans, rice, a chicken tamale, two soft tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. It tasted really good, too. Next time I visit I am definitely eating here again. Similar to the Pacific Wharf Cafe, it can be difficult to find a table. They are located next to each other so the whole complex can be a bit difficult to navigate depending on the time of day.

3. Corn Dog Castle

Like I said about corn dogs before, they are just a great deal and are really good.

4. Award Wieners

This obviously depends on if you like hot dogs, but they are one of the best deals in the parks. This place has a couple kinds of hot dogs, like chili cheese, and you get the choice of apple slices or chips. It's inexpensive and good enough to keep you full for a while.

5. Paradise Garden Grill

I found this place by complete accident last year when I was searching for a shady spot to relax for a bit. Not only is this area of the park practically deserted, but they have Mediterranean food (which I love) that is really good. I got a steak skewer with rice and it tasted great. It wasn't too expensive either. When I ate there a small band was playing in a gazebo nearby and it was just relaxing. Very much recommended.

I have yet to try it, but if you want to splurge and spend a small fortune you could check out the new Carthay Circle restaurant inside California Adventure. I have heard it's delicious and has a great atmosphere. You can also get World of Color show packages where you get a meal and premiere viewing for the show. It will cost you, though. I looked into a similar deal for Fantasmic inside Disneyland and it was $60 a person.

And, of course, these aren't all the places I have eaten inside the parks. These are just my personal favorites and what I think are the best deals for what you get. Other ones that aren't terrible, but aren't great, are the Hungry Bear Restaurant, Tomorrowland Terrace, Taste Pilot's Grill, and Bengal Barbeque.




That does it for my take on the Happiest Place on Earth. You may not know this but it is probably my favorite spot. It's expensive as hell but I love it. I go whenever I have the chance. If you have never been give it a shot. I can help you with a lot of pointers and give great tips on how to get the most done during your trip.

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride movie being planned

Disney is planning a live action meets CGI film for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, based on the popular ride at Disneyland which opened in 1955. The ride is based on The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. This movie apparently already has Pete Candeland set to direct but no other announcements have been made. 

Let me start by saying that I love Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. It is my favorite ride in Fantasyland at Disneyland and is one of my favorite Disney rides overall, but is this really necessary? I don't know how many people have seen the cartoon version of Mr. Toad that Disney released in 1949, but it is fantastic. It is obviously an older animated film but it is seriously great. If you haven't seen it, the feature combines the stories of Mr. Toad from The Wind in the Willows and Ichabod Crane from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It is on DVD and titled The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. I watch it at least once a year and have been doing so since I was a kid. Must they update and/or ruin everything? Damn son.
Disney has already announced the movie for the Sleeping Beauty villain, Maleficent, which will star Angelina Jolie in the title role, we have already had four Pirates of the Caribbean movies with a possible 5th at hand, and they are also planning a movie based off the Matterhorn Bobsleds ride that will focus on the Yeti. A movie based on an animatronic Yeti you see for about two seconds while you are on the Matterhorn Bobsleds? Fucking hell.

I love you Disney, but why?

http://collider.com/mr-toads-wild-ride-movie/159910/

My week at Disneyland

Here is the full list of the rides, and whatever else, I did while at Disneyland/California Adventure this past week. I had a 5-day park hopper pass and did just about everything. The only major and semi-major things I didn't do were:

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (65 minute wait? No thanks)
California Screamin' (big roller coasters and me don't mix)
Mickey's Fun Wheel
Animation Academy
Grizzly River Run (the ride was closed all week)
A Bug's Land
Autopia (why wait 50 minutes to drive a go cart when I can drive a real car)
Matterhorn Bobsleds (the ride was closed all week)
Enchanted Tiki Room
Mark Twain Riverboat (because I did the Columbia instead)
Mad Tea Party (I fucking hate spinning)
Astro Orbitor (again, I hate spinning)
Innoventions (I did it in 2008 and thought it was lame)
Disney Monorail (I rode it every morning in 2008. There's only so much monorail you can take)


Now for the stuff I did do...

Disneyland:

Indiana Jones Adventure (2x)
The Jungle Cruise (2x)
The Haunted Mansion (3x)
Pirates of the Caribbean (4x)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (2x)
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Star Tours 3D (2x)
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Captain EO 3D
Alice in Wonderland
Peter Pan's Flight
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (2x)
Snow White's Scary Adventures (2x)
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
Main Street Cinema
Dreams Come True Fireworks (3x)
Fantasmic
Disneyland Railroad
It's a Small World
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Sailing Ship Columbia
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage


California Adventure:

Toy Story Midway Mania (I originally said 45-50 minutes. It was more like 60. The line takes forever but it's worth it)
Muppet Vision 3D
Turtle Talk with Crush
Character Close-Up
Sorcerer's Workshop
Soarin' Over California
Monster's Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue (3x)
The Little Mermaid - Ariel's Undersea Adventure (2x)
Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular
Boudin Bakery Tour
elecTRONica


Let me just comment on this first and foremost... elecTRONica. From what I understand this is only going to be done for another month or so and I have no idea why they are stopping. This event is so much fun. If you don't know what it is, it is basically a Tron & Tron: Legacy themed party/rave in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area of California Adventure. On the nights that they do it (Friday-Sunday) it starts around 7pm and goes until the park closes at 9pm. There is a replica of Flynn's Arcade where you can play arcade games, there are two bars serving alcoholic drinks that glow in the dark, there is a laser show with a performer they call Laserman Reconfigured, there is an opening show with dancers, the employees in Tron costumes play glow in the dark frisbee with you, and there is a DJ in the middle of it all. Your host is Eckert (similar to Zuse in Tron: Legacy) and he basically walks around and checks in on everyone from time to time. There are glow sticks, light sticks, video projections on the walls, black lights, etc.. Disney basically throws a 3 hour rave for you three nights a week and it is fucking awesome. I think I'm 10x as tired today as I should be because by the time I got back to my hotel room last night I was so hyper that I didn't sleep well. I could have gone on dancing and whatever for 2 more hours. It's kind of a shame they don't do it inside Disneyland because that park is open longer.
Here are some pictures from elecTRONica held on Friday, March 16th.

Other than that, you can probably tell Pirates of the Caribbean was a favorite of mine seeing that I rode it 4 times. I also love the Matterhorn Bobsleds but it was closed for refurbishment all week. Oh well. The Haunted Mansion and Indiana Jones are good ones, too.
I also loved the new Little Mermaid ride inside California Adventure. It's really well done. The Monsters Inc. ride is really fun as well.

I had hoped to do Fantasmic twice, but I unexpectedly saw my aunt and uncle the night I was planning on going back into the park to catch it again. Once is better than none.
I did manage to get a FastPass for World of Color and it was really an extraordinary show. What I could see of it, that is. I found the major flaw in Disney's planning of World of Color... the viewing areas. It is one thing to have standing viewing but it is another to have a bunch of flat surfaces. Especially when these surfaces are only used for World of Color. I was stuck behind about 5 rows of people and I couldn't hardly see shit. I kept having to hold up my camera and look through the screen to see what was going on in the lower half of the water screens and the lake. They had like 3 years to plan this show and they should have made the viewing areas layered like stairs so shorter people, like me, and children have a better chance of seeing all of the show. I felt sorry for the people with small kids because the employees won't let you put your kids on your shoulders during the show. Kind of a catch 22. It's nice to not have people with kids on their shoulders blocking your view, but it sucks for the kids because they can't see anything. Oh well. What I could see of it was fantastic. Definitely a must see if you do California Adventure, but make sure to do the FastPass. Go into the park as soon as the gates open and get the pass for a designated viewing areas close to the water. It guarantees you a spot if you get there an hour or two before the show.

Speaking of FastPass, use this service. I can't stress this enough, especially for the major rides. I got a FastPass for Splash Mountain and it turned what would have been a 50 minute wait into a 10 minute wait. If you try and ride any major ride (especially Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Star Tours 3D, and Indiana Jones) after 9-10am you will be waiting in line a minimum of 40-45 minutes. The average wait time I noticed for Indiana Jones alone was 50-55 minutes on any given day of the week. The same goes for Splash Mountain and Space Mountain. The lousy thing is the rides that are popular but don't have FastPass, like Pirates of the Caribbean and Toy Story Midway Mania. The line for Pirates moves pretty quick because they can put up to like 20 people in each boat, but Toy Story takes FOREVER. I don't know why they haven't made FastPass available for that one yet. I think Tower of Terror has a FastPass option but when I saw a 65 minute wait yesterday before elecTRONica I laughed and walked back to Flynn's Arcade.


Anyway, I am a big kid at heart and I love Disneyland. It's one of my favorite places to be. I've been back home for like 6 hours and I am already missing California. My cousin is getting married in August so maybe I'll be able to go back again this year. I can only hope. =^D