EXCLUSIVE: With The Lone Ranger in the can, Disney, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Johnny Depp have turned their attention toward setting sail on a fifth installment underway of Pirates Of The Caribbean. While a number of pie in the sky giant directors are being mentioned, here are three helmers I hear are on the short list. Fredrik Bond, who helmed The Necessary Death Of Charlie Countryman, has been a favorite of Bruchkeimer and has been rumored for some time. The hot new candidate is the Kon-Tiki directing team of Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, who just fell out of the Legendary Pictures film Spectral; and I am also hearing buzz about Snow White And The Huntsman helmer Rupert Sanders. The Kon-Tiki guys are the names I’m hearing most often, but no offer has been made and there will probably be a few more meetings prior to any of that happening. Production is being slotted for late this year or early next year, but the director will be locked within the next few weeks. Disney made an unexpected choice for the last film, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides with Rob Marshall, and that grossed over $1 billion. Given the names here, they’re clearly looking to inject fresh creative energy to the mix. Stay tuned.

Source: Deadline

Turner Classic Movies celebrates the life and career of Oscar-winning producer Richard D. Zanuck with the premiere of the new documentary “Don’t Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck.” This 90-minute documentary will have its world television premiere on Wednesday, May 8, followed by three of Zanuck’s films: “Driving Miss Daisy,” “Cocoon” and “Compulsion.”

“Don’t Say No Until I Finish Talking” examines different facets of Zanuck’s life and career. It features interviews with Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and other stars.

Here is the schedule for “TCM Salutes Richard D. Zanuck” on May 8:
8 p.m.: “Don’t Say No Until I Finish Talking.”
9:45 p.m: “Driving Miss Daisy” starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman.
11:30 p.m.: “Don’t Say No Until I Finish Talking” (encore) .
1:15 a.m.: “Cocoon” starring Don Ameche and Wilford Brimley.
3:30 a.m.: “Compulsion” starring Dean Stockwell and Bradford Dillman.

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Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep filming together and singing. Who can resist? Not Disney any longer. It’s taken 16 months to get off the ground — ever since January 2012, when the studio sent out a press release announcing Rob Marshall (Chicago, Nine) would be directing Stephen Sondheim’s iconic 1987 Broadway musical Into The Woods as a feature film for Disney. A table read was held in NYC this past October featuring Donna Murphy, Megan Hilty, Christine Baranski, Allison Janney and quite a few other Broadway stars. Buzz of Streep’s interest first surfaced last summer and this past week Marshall confirmed in an interview to Playbill that she was “in” to the play the witch. Today Variety reported Depp’s interest. Now I’ve confirmed that Johnny and Meryl “almost have their deals wrapped up for the film,” according to sources. Marshall directed 2011’s Pirates Of The Caribbean 4 (which might have been more palatable as a musical because it stunk as the franchise’s fourquel) so he’s already Mouse friendly. The original musical with music and lyrics by Sondheim and book by James Lapine is about a childless baker and his wife who attempt to lift a family curse by journeying into the woods to confront the witch that put the spell on them. Along the way, they encounter classic fairy tale characters. Depp previously starred in the DreamWorks film version of Sondheim’s dark musical Sweeney Todd which was also the last time he sang on camera. Streep in films had a nice turn warbling country Western in the final scenes of Postcards From The Edge until the longtime Abba fan became the singing and dancing queen of Mamma Mia!. For Into The Woods, Marshall frequent collaborators John DeLuca will produce while David Krane will arrange the music. Lapine penned the screenplay.

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SANTA FE —New Mexico Film Office director Nick Maniatis announced today the production of the action Sci-Fi “Transcendence” starring Johnny Depp (The Lone Ranger, Alice in Wonderland, The Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise), Morgan Freeman (Oblivion, The Dark Knight Franchise, Dolphin Tale), Rebecca Hall (Iron Man 3, The Awakening, The Town), Paul Bettany (Margin Call, the Secret Life Of Bees, The Da Vinci Code), and Kate Mara (House of Cards, Iron Man 2, 127 Hours). The production will begin filming late April though the end of July in and around Albuquerque, NM.

The production will employ approximately 250 New Mexico crew members and over 2400 New Mexico background and principal talent.

Produced by Andrew A. Kosove (The Book of Eli, The Blind Side), Broderick Johnson (The Book of Eli, The Blind Side), David Valdes (The Book of Eli, The Green Mile), Marisa Polvino (Brooklyn Rules, The Education of Charlie Banks), Annie Marter (Oh For Three) and Kate Cohen (Someone Marry Barry). The Dark Knight Rises and Inception cinematographer Wally Pfister will make his directorial debut.

Transcendence is a visually arresting, original science-fiction thriller that explores the concept of identity and morality in the age of artificial intelligence.

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EG Casting is looking for military, tattooed, hipster types, amputees, etc. for a SCI-FI film shooting in New Mexico this spring/summer. If you are interested, send your photo and contact info. to:

transcendextras@gmail.com

If you are already in the EG Casting Database there is no need to resubmit, those who fit the specifications will be contacted.

Much more info. on the film here.

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Some of today’s hottest emerging and seasoned talent in film, television, fashion and music came together at The Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, CA on April 13 for the “Logo NewNowNext Awards 2013.”

The “Logo NewNowNext Awards 2013,” hosted by Aisha Tyler, premiered Monday, April 15 at 10/9C on Logo.

As voted on by the public, the winners of the “Logo NewNowNext Awards 2013″ are the following: (click the source link to view all of the winners)
· Coolest Cameo: Johnny Depp, 21 Jump Street, Sony Picts.

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Only ET is on the set of The Lone Ranger with Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp.

Check your local listings.

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Earlier today, we were given the first character poster for The Lone Ranger depicting the title character and now Disney has revealed one for his sidekick Tonto, played by Johnny Depp in the film. Check it out below!

Opening on July 3, The Lone Ranger is a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes. Native American spirit warrior Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid (Armie Hammer), a man of the law, into a legend of justice—taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption.

Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale, Ruth Wilson and Helena Bonham Carter also star.

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