So in the first decade of the 21st century, actor extraordinaire Johnny Depp makes 3 Pirates of the Caribbean movies for Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer that rake in about 2 billion dollars in ticket sales and launch the character of Captain Jack Sparrow. That's right - billion. In 2010, and in the interest of fairness, Depp starred in the Disney produced version of director Tim Burton's maniacal Alice in Wonderland, this time playing a very creepy Mad Hatter. And so the new Alice hauls in another, somewhat surprisingly, billion dollars in ticket sales and further pads Disney profits. Add 'em up and we're now up to 3 billion in ticket sales.
You can't keep a good profit machine down so in 2011, Depp returns in the fourth installment of Pirates of the Caribbean and to date it too, not surprisingly, has brought in a billion dollars in world wide ticket sales. We're now up to 4 billion dollars (roughly the cost of what Disney spent to buy Marvel).
Oh we're not through, Depp returns in 2012 in the Disney / Bruckheimer big screen version of The Lone Ranger with Depp playing Tonto (he is on the small side to be a Lone Ranger). Will it make a billion dollars? Don't bet against it. This Captain Jack Sparrow gig is a pretty good one so the story goes that Depp is in negotiation with Disney to make a fifth installent of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. As Martha Stewart would say, a billion dollars, "it's a good thing".
The money train doesn't stop there. I read today where Johnny Depp's own film production company is in negotiations with Disney for two new movies - a movie based on the Revolutionary War historical figure Paul Revere and movie the brings to the big screen the 70's cult TV hit - The Night Stalker.
This is all good for Disney. It must be good for Depp because has opportunities up the wazoo to do film projects. From every account I have read, Johnny Depp is one friendliest, kindest, approachable "stars" you will ever meet. In a strange kind of way, the corporate Disney and the unconventional, offbeat Depp seem to be a match made in Walt's heaven.
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