pirates of the caribbean - Cannes International Film Festival

“So when I was asked about ‘Pirates,’ the first thing that came to my mind was, ‘What a
great opportunity it would be to be able to work with Johnny.’ Johnny is this
extraordinary person because not only is he a genius and a creative force, but he is also
such a kind, thoughtful and elegant man.
“I really feel that he’s a throwback to another time. The man comes on set and shakes
hands with everyone. He takes the time to
make sure that everybody on set is happy,”
Marshall adds. “He has a strong work ethic,
but he’s also so much fun; he’s hilarious and
we laughed all the time. You know, it’s a
grueling schedule we’re on; we were moving
quickly and we had an enormous amount to
accomplish with huge set-ups, but it was so
joyous because of him, I have to say.”
“Right off the bat Rob knew how to keep it lean,” notes Johnny Depp. “I knew what he
would use and what he wouldn’t. He’s incredibly efficient, saying ‘Let’s stay to the heart
of the story and have fun while we’re doing it.’”
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“Johnny and Rob got along instantly and
the relationship only got better through
the course of the film,” observes
Executive Producer John DeLuca. “They
were both always happy to be in each
other’s company on set; they found that
kindred spirit in each other.”
Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, the
acclaimed team, which even previous to
the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” film
had already written such contemporary classics as “Aladdin” and “Shrek,” dug ever
deeper into the treasure chest of pirate and seagoing history, lore and mythology for
“On Stranger Tides” with the assistance of the much-admired novel of the same title by
Tim Powers, from which suggestions for the story arose. “The main guideline was to
create a stand-alone story rather than a continuation of the trilogy, or the start of a new
one,” notes Rossio. “And then of course the Tim Powers book, ‘On Stranger Tides,’ was a
huge inspiration for characters, theme, settings, and basic storyline.”
In writing the screenplay for “On Stranger Tides,” Elliott and Rossio relied on their own
instincts first and foremost, but were also careful to consider the first three films’ huge
worldwide audience as well. Rossio in particular is noted for engaging in online dialogue