Pirates of the Caribbean: Any Fun Without Johnny Depp?

The Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy - The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man's Chest, and on May 25th, 2007 At World's End - is all about swashbuckling. Everything else is gravy on top of the meat (or should that be fluffy mashed potatoes?) of sword fights, rope swinging, and ship battles.

The second movie, Dead Man's Chest, spent undue time and energy showcasing the gross-out (but inventive) special effects used to create The Flying Dutchman's crew. The plot included excitement enough, however, to make it respectable as a sequel. The goofiness and heart of first installment, The Curse of the Black Pearl, were amply evident, especially in the scenes on the island where Davy Jones's chest was hidden.

The movie question of 2007 is whether the third, and reputedly final, movie of the sequence can return to that successful formula without being too predictable or repetitive. For this installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, one can expect millions of dollars in special effects for creating World's End, the creative demise of the Kraken, and an attempt at having a Pirates of the Caribbean movie based on the promise of Jack Sparrow with out actually delivering him.

It's a good idea for Disney to explore the possibilities of The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise without Johnny Depp. He's not going to want to be a pirate forever. If they can keep spinning the story without him, the world can look forward to new characters and plots without depending on his particular brand of wackiness to carry the crew. Disney is well known for making sequels to their hit movies to be sent straight to video, so fans can harbor some hope that the story will continue.

The others do have their own humorous moments. There is zaniness to spare in the first two films. It is a large part of their charm and their reason for success. Jack Sparrow has been so much the focus, however, that it is difficult to imagine a story in which he is not staggering about, eyes rolling and hands waving, being a good person in wholly unexpected ways.

Hopefully, the story in Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End will showcase the talents and fun of the rest of the cast. After having been overshadowed so many times by the enormity of Mr. Depp's personality, it must have been refreshing for them to stretch their own acting and silliness muscles. May the results continue the excitement and invention of the original film.