Yeah, 'cuz major cliffhangers really helped the box office for Back to the Future III and The Matrix Revolutions.

Yeah, well, Matrix Reloaded wasn't exactly a good movie, so that definitely overshadowed the effect of its cliffhanger... Plus, I think they released Matrix Revolutions too soon after Reloaded. Had they waited at *least* a year, there *might* have been a bit more eagerness to see the final installment...

Joy

I really don't know why they're making the same mistake here as was made with both Back to the Future and The Matrix. Filming two sequels at the same time is never good for the box office, as the third film always does poorly. Furthermore, they don't even have a completed script for the third film. Why even bother shooting a third film then? What's wrong with just one sequel?

And yet LOTR was all filmed at the same time, and they managed to do great... also being released within a year of one another, just as the PotC sequels will be.

I really don't understand how people can compare this to Matrix and Back to the Future... I'm just not seeing how that can say *anything* about how PotC will do.

Joy

Lord of the Rings had a complete script before they started shooting, plus it's based on a set of classic books. I'm comparing it to Matrix and BTTF simply because all three original movies were surprise hits, so they automatically started making two sequels at once. Since LOTR was all made at once, the quality didn't suffer dramatically, which is prone to happening with sequels.
I agree that Pirates 2 will probably do very well, but I don't see how Pirates 3 can, especially without a completed script.

Hmm

113 opening weekend
305 total

Big opening, not so hot legs. Pirates 3 blows with 130-150 ish total.

The difference though between Matrix and Back to the Future is their sequels were released in different seasons in the same part of the year.

I still, to this day, maintain that we needed a much bigger break between Reloaded and Revolutions (and we needed for them to suck a lot less too but...)

Agree completely.

The PotC3 script may not quite be ready for shooting, but they *do* still have a couple more months to finish it. It doesn't mean they don't already have the story.

In fact, the sequels were not made just because the first movie did well. The writers already had stories in mind for sequels; it all was just hindered on whether or not the first movie would do well enough to warrant going ahead with the sequels. They didn't just decide after the movie did well to do sequels; they were already planning them. That's why the first movie was given a subtitle, just in case they were able to fund sequels to it.

I'm quite sure the Two T's already know where they're going with the stories. They just have to put them into script format... I have complete faith in them to bring us two very awesome movies that will do *great* in the box-office.

Joy

And the Matrix didn't know where their story was going?

There IS a difference between having a story and key plot points outlined and having a full out screenplay written. The former is the skeleton, the latter has the meat added to it. They are essentially different forms of the same thing though.

so they are shooting potc3 without a completed script?

They aren't shooting Pirates 3 yet. I think after they finish shooting Pirates 2, then hooplah begins on Pirates 3. I'm not quite sure how pre- and/or post-production for the films will work in the transitions.

Yes and no.

They filmed whatever scenes required the Caribbean setting while they were down there for PotC2 so they could get all the Caribbean filming done in one fell swoop. The majority of PotC3 will be shot in the studio, and that doesn't start 'til... February? March?

Joy

Very early prediction:

$121 m/$448 m

any news on when the teaser for potc2's coming out?

Narnia.

Nothing official.

Most believe it will be attached to Narnia, but we've never heard any official word either way. I myself still believe the better bet would be for Harry Potter, as it'd get more coverage with that one, and with this new HP's dark tone and PG-13 rating (but still being aimed at a "family" audience), a PotC trailer would go perfectly with it.

'Sides, the Superman Returns trailer is coming out with HP, so why can the PotC trailer do so as well? They could still attach it to Narnia, but the best bet for it getting the most coverage would be to attach it to HP.

Plus, the trailer's been ready for release for a couple weeks now. It's been a couple months since it was shown to test audiences, and it's been spotted recently in airports. I just think it'd be smart to go ahead and release it now.

Of course, I can see Disney withholding it so that they can make people go see Narnia... Not that I'm not planning to already, but I'm definitely not seeing a breakout hit with Narnia... It won't make as much as HP, that's for sure.

Joy

One reason why they are shooting parts of them together: budget. This will save the studio a good deal of money, which may help in the end if PoTC III does not live up to the first two films.

Why is there so much comparison between BTTF, Matrix and PotC?

Sequels do NOT do badly because they are "sequels." Sequels do badly for the same reason any movie would do badly -- sequels are more likely to be bad coattail cash-in movies. If PotC 2 is a good movie, it will do well. If it is not a good movie, it will not do well. And even with all the bad press for Reloaded, it still made $270M. Unless the audiences have lost interest, PotC can't make much less than that.

The concept of shooting the expensive parts together and the cheaper studio parts later is a good idea. Even if the script is not completed, certainly there's enough to film the big set pieces and explosions. Compare: If you get into a debate, you have all your points outlined, but then two hours later you smack your head and say, "d'oh, I should have said ___?" Same deal here. After filming the big explosions and stuff, the writers will have time to think of the good zinger lines, which were a BIG part of PotC's legs. And then you can film the good lines in the studio later. It's a streamlined version of what Jackson did with the rehoots/pickups for LotR. It bodes well for PotC.

Teaser: http://www.blackpearlracing.com (Go to "The Movie" section)

Marketing off exactly what made the original a hit: swashbuckling and Sparrow. All it's missing is some more romance between Turner/Elizabeth, but it is a teaser, and does a good job at that.

I'm bouncing up and down in joy at the moment.... Wish there was a good emoticon for that.

I can't wait to see this trailer on the big screen on the 9th.

*sigh* God, this is so great!

Joy

PS: Apparently my premonitions about a cliffhanger for DMC were correct, according to the PotC3 script review. I copy/pasted it for later reading (after I see the movie), but I was stupid and my eyes wandered and saw something I didn't want to see. It was something I had thought might happen, but I hated having it confirmed for me..... and then someone on IMDb went and blabbed the details that I wanted to avoid with no spoiler warning whatsoever. *big sigh*

There are plenty o good emoticons for that. Look:

Great teaser. I'll have to see how people react to it before making another prediction, though.

Whoopsie... Forgot there was that "View more Emoticons" link.... See how excited I am? LOL

Well, I can report that there are people over on one of the Depp boards I'm on who have now said they're planning to go see Narnia just for the PotC2 trailer and leave after the trailer finishes...

Thankfully for me, I'm interested enough in Narnia to not pay just for a trailer. I don't think I've ever had to do that.... Not even with the Star Wars trailers.

Joy