She’s in negotiations to join Johnny Depp and sail the seven seas in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,’ the fourth installment of the franchise being directed by Rob Marshall. It’s scheduled for a May 20, 2011 release date.

Depp, of course, will be back as Captain Jack Sparrow, and while plot details are buried deeper than Blackbeard’s treasure, we do know that the story revolves around the Fountain of Youth.

All we know about Cruz’s character – should the deal go through – is that she’ll be Sparrow’s foil and equal. Female pirate!

The role will also reunite her with Marshall, who directed her in ‘Nine.’

Image: Bauer-Griffin; Source: THR’s HeatVision Blog

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We caught up with the young actor and got his take on scary movies, Johnny Depp, and why he’d kill a zombie or two for a Twinkie. 

You’re just ten years old and you’ve got all these amazing projects going on. How do you manage to juggle school and work and everything else?

I do my schoolwork in my pajamas, or in the bath or anywhere I want!  I do a combination of home school and regular school. I do the same work as other kids, just in a different place, and wherever I go we always find fun field trips to go on. I get to learn about the city I am in and different cultures. It’s fun! I do two hip hop classes a week – that’s a lot of fun, too! Then I have a game/movie night once a week with friends. It just all fits in somehow!

What else do you like to do for fun (if you have time for it!)? 

Well, I’m a boy so, of course, video games! I also love archery, horseback riding, paragliding, roller coasters, snowboarding, bike riding, hip hop/street jazz, 3-D animation and many other things! I love trying new things!

Tell us about your character in “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus.” Did you have fun filming it? 

I played a small role in this amazing film. Terry Gilliam has a very cool imagination and the film is very fun! I’ve watched it three times and notice something new and different each time. I love it, and I will definitely go and see it again when it comes out in theatres. It was fun filming it. There were lots of interesting costumes to see, and meeting Verne Troyer and Christopher Plummer was awesome!

Did you have an opportunity to know or work with Heath Ledger on “Parnassus”?

I didn’t get the chance to work with him, but he is awesome in the film.

More after the jump…

Likewise, did you have an opportunity to meet or work with Johnny Depp? 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t in any scenes with Johnny Depp and we were on set on different days, so I didn’t get to meet him. Hopefully someday, though. The roles he chooses are amazing. He’s a smart guy, and I hope to be as good as him one day!

You’ve done two Buddies movies — “Space Buddies” and “Santa Buddies” — what character do you play, and how fun was it working on these projects? (We love the Buddies in this house!)

I play the role of Pete — he’s Mud Bud’s human. Pete’s mom is a bit of a clean freak and to have a puppy that loves mud can be a little bit of a problem sometimes! The puppies are so cute, soft and adorable. I loved working with them. What kid wouldn’t love that, and the puppies always do some adorable bloopers, because they are puppies!

You played Linus in the Peanuts Webisodes. Was it amazing playing this beloved Peanuts character? Did you feel any sort of responsibility playing Linus (like "I’d better not mess this up!"). 

I thought it was so cool to play Linus. I researched the original Linus voice, practiced hard and tried to match it, and I think I came pretty close. I really wanted people to say, “Hey, that’s pretty close to the original.” Yes, that was my goal.

Talk a little about “The Hole.” Your bio says you star as Julie Campbell’s (Haley Bennett) “most terrifying childhood fear." Sounds scary!

Well, I can’t say too much about it, but it may be one of my scarier roles. I think it is! I love the film, and I’ve always loved Joe Dante. I’m a big “Gremlins” fan, so to work with him was a dream come true. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met in my ten years of living!

You’ve done a lot of TV and movie projects. Do you prefer one over the other?

TV is a lot of fun, but I have to say films are my favorite. Working for months on a project with other actors is very cool, and we always seem to become kind of a family. The sad part is saying goodbye at the end, but keeping in touch is awesome! I guess I would love a TV series — that would be like a big family, too!

You’ve done a ton of TV projects, like “Blade,” “Stargate SG-1,” “The L Word,” “Supernatural,” “Smallville” (for which you were nominated for a Young Artist Award in 2008!) … do you have a favorite TV project you’ve done? 

“Supernatural” was very fun, especially bringing that clown in to my sleeping dad — now that was too much creepy fun! “Smallville” was crazy fun. I creeped people out with my black contacts and creepy possessed voice. It’s fun to play evil sometimes!

“Trick ‘R Treat” was just released on DVD / Blu-ray in October. Tell us a little about that project. 

Well, “Trick ‘R Treat” is four scary tales with my character Sam kind of weaving in and out of each story. He’s always there somewhere! Sam is the spirit of Halloween and enforces the rules in his own special way. He drags along a sack which might have candy, severed body parts, cats, or other disturbing things. You never know what may be in there! It was tons of fun working on the film. The sets were really cool, and I got to watch and be involved during the making of Sam’s costume — that was really interesting! And, no the butt flap does not work on the footy pajamas! (laughs)

Your web site is awesome, and I saw the video of the Parnassus red carpet premiere. Have you done a lot of red carpet premieres? What’s it like working with and hanging out with all these big stars?

Thank you, I have lots of ideas of things I want to add to it! The video of the red carpet premiere was my very first, and I loved it! I have done one other and walked the black carpet at Screamfest, but I hope to do many more. I’m addicted to it! Working with big stars is very cool. They are amazing actors, and I always try to get tips and learn from them. When I get the chance to hang out with them, I love comparing on set stories and just chatting about things we love. It’s very cool!

You’ve done lots of commercials, too. Are there any currently airing where we can look for you? 

I haven’t done a commercial in years, but the Capital One holiday commercial where we try and celebrate all the holidays in one trip is back out again. I wear a pumpkin suit in that one — not like “Trick ‘R Treat,” though (laughs). I was 5 or 6 in that commercial.

Do you plan to continue acting into adulthood? Who are your role models as actors?

I would love to continue acting and one day direct, produce, write and maybe animate! I love being creative. It’s really, really amazing to think something up, write it down and then see it acted out, all just from your brain! Humans are pretty cool!

I have lots of role models — Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford — I just have too many to list. There are so many talented actors, and I can learn something from every person I meet, no matter how big a star they are!

You’ve said you love the 80s movies like “Goonies” and “Gremlins,” and would love to work with Bruce Campbell. Why him? And are there any other actors or directors you’d like to work with in the future? 

I would love to work with Bruce Campbell just because I love “Army of Darkness.” I don’t know why, I just do! One new film I also love is “Land of the Lost.” I’ve watched it about 10 times so far!  I love the old film "Caveman" with Ringo Starr, too!  I love a lot of films, and recently watched “Zombieland.” That was fun! I had never tried a Twinkie before, so I just had to try them. I would definitely kill a few Zombies for one!

A few of the actors I would love to work with are Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Bruce Campbell, Jodie Foster, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and many many more!

A few of the directors I would love to work with are Michael Bay, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and many more! I would love to work with Joe Dante, Terry Gilliam and Michael Dougherty again for sure!

Anything else you want to add? 

Well, I do love it when people message me through my website. I’m only ten so I’m not really allowed to email back, but if someone sends me their address, I’ll write a letter!

Thanks so much for the interview! I can’t wait to see you in “Parnassus,” “Santa Buddies” and your upcoming projects! 

Thank you!

For more on Quinn Lord, check out his very cool Web site!

Images: Quinn Lord; Columbia Pictures

Post from: Film Gecko

“

The latest word is that Johnny Depp is in talks to sign, replacing Sam Worthington, who replaced Tom Cruise. If it’s a go, Depp will play an American tourist who’s used by an Interpol agent to flush out a criminal with whom she once had an affair.

The agent will be played by Angelina Jolie, which would make for an awesome pairing with Depp. I’m trying to think if they’ve ever done a movie, and nothing comes to mind. If not, it’s time!

For more on Angelina Jolie, check out Pitt Watch; for more on Tom Cruise, visit TomKatCrazy. 

Any thoughts on this pairing?

Image: Newscom

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The frequent collaborators appeared at Comic-Con’s First-Ever 3D Panel featuring Disney’s "A Christmas Carol" (Nov. 6, 2009), "Alice in Wonderland," and "Tron Legacy" (2011) on July 23, 2009 at the San Diego Convention Center.

"Alice" marks the seventh time that Depp has worked under the direction of Burton, and the sixth time for Helena Bonham Carter, who plays The Red Queen.

Image: Eric Charbonneau/Le Studio/Wireimage via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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The movie is scheduled for a March 5, 2010 release date, and also features Helena Bonham Carter (Red Queen), Mia Wasikowska (Alice), and Anne Hathaway (White Queen). It’s not really a sweet kid’s flick, though, is it? Not surprising, considering that Lewis Carroll was drugged up when he wrote it.

Anyway, what do you think of the trailer?

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"The Incredible Mr. Limpet" – Producers are interested in Depp for the title role of Kevin Lima’s remake, but he hasn’t signed on and production won’t begin until next year.

"Pirates of the Caribbean 4" – With Gore Verbinski no longer in the director’s chair, this project has slowed to a crawl. Disney is looking for a new director, and with a smaller budget, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom likely won’t be back.

"The Lone Ranger" – Depp is attached to play Tonto, but the title role still needs to be cast, and no director has signed on yet.

"Dark Shadows" – This Depp-Tim Burton collaboration is back-burnered while Burton finishes work on "Alice in Wonderland," which opens in March, 2010. 

Depp is also starring in the Hunter S. Thompson adaptation of "The Rum Diary" and has a supporting role in "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus." Both are scheduled for a U.S. release sometime in 2010.

Still, it will be a while before we see Johnny Depp on screen again. That’s a sad thought. Then again, he could probably use some time off to chill on his boat in the Caribbean.

Image: Bauer-Griffin; Source: The Hollywood Reporter

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Vera writes that she’s "never sure whether to be amused or perplexed when bad guys become tourist attractions." I quite agree!

She goes on to say: "And now we have the reckless, not-too-bright, ruthless John Dillinger indirectly doing good for his home state of Indiana, his hideaway state of Wisconsin and Chicago, home of hoods. Wisconsin, particularly, betting the movie Public Enemies will be a smash hit, launched a tourism campaign that stops just short of calling Dillinger “Wisconsin’s Favorite Son.” “See bullet holes from the 1934 shoot out” at Little Bohemia (now a restaurant rather than a lodge). “Go ‘on the lam’ in Wisconsin,” the tourism touts recommend on a web site listing Wisconsin tours.

You know, I pondered in my review of "Public Enemies" whether the film romanticizes the gangster life. And it really does. I didn’t realize this before, but scenes from the movie exactly mirror scenes from the real life of John Dillinger, particularly of him leaning on that guy like he’s a long lost buddy, as he’s being dragged off for incarceration.

So what do you think? Is it good to romanticize the gangster life and create tourism campaigns around it? 

Image: © Universal Pictures

Post from: Film Gecko

Movie: Public Enemies * Trailer * 6 Clips * Images * Official Site	In Theaters: July 1, 2009
Runtime: 140 minutes	Directed by: Michael Mann
MPAA Rating: R for gangster violence and some language	Gecko Rating:

I wondered if "Public Enemies" would romanticize the gangster life, and it sort of does. But it also gives the other side of the story – the blood, violence, and nastiness.

Still, this movie mostly romanticizes it, mainly because Johnny Depp is just so darn cute. What girl could resist his charms, gangster or not? Plus, I think he’s actually getting better looking as he gets older. But enough of my crush…

In "Public Enemies," Depp plays notorious gangster John Dillinger in the 1930s. It’s not a life story or anything; the movie actually picks up with him getting out of prison after something like nine years. Apparently, he’s learned nothing in there, because he’s right back at it, gathering the gang back together and planning their next bank robbery.

We really don’t see a lot of the other gangsters – it’s mostly about Dillinger – but on the sidelines is Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham), Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum) and others. In a nightclub, Depp spots the beautiful Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) and goes over to introduce himself. He wastes no time and not only strikes up a romance right away, but also tells her who he is and what he does. "I’m John Dillinger, and I rob banks." She resists his charms at first, but they’re soon involved in a torrid affair.

I don’t know enough about Dillinger to know if everything in the movie is factual, but it sure plays well on screen. The romance, the bank robberies, the hiding out, the cat-and-mouse games with G-Man Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) and FBI director J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) … it’s all good. But what I really love about the movie is the fantastic cinematography. If it doesn’t win some awards, then something is seriously wrong with the world.

The camera work vacillates between traditional shots like you’d see in any commercial movie and old news footage-type shots. I don’t know the technical terms, but it’s very clear and concise, and almost bathed in a sepia toned sheath. I kept thinking about the footage of Lee Harvey Oswald being gunned down as he was being transferred from one place to another, because it reminded me of that. Other scenes looked like they were shot with a hand-held home movie camera. It gives you the feeling of being right there at that time and place.

The original music by Elliot Goldenthal — a guitarsy-cross between folk and jazz – is also really impressive. I could have just listened to the music all day. And all of the vintage stuff – the cars, guns, clothing, and interior designs – was all spot-on.

"Public Enemies" didn’t have enough bank robberies to impress my teenaged son, but if you’re a fan of Johnny Depp or gangster movies, or if you just want to see a really well-made film, then go check this one out.

NOTE TO PARENTS: The R rating is mainly for violence; there are quite a few scenes of people being gunned down, heads getting banged, people bleeding to death, that sort of thing. There’s a little bit of sex, but nothing explicit. You just see Dillinger and Frechette in bed together. I’d say it’s ok for kids 16 and older who don’t mind violence.

Images: © Universal Pictures

Post from: Film Gecko

Thanks to MTV for the videos, and check out all of Film Gecko’s "Public Enemies" coverage!

Johnny Depp: What motivates an outlaw? 

Christian Bale: The gangster mythology:

Leelee Sobieski’s crush on Johnny Depp:

Marion Cotillard: Why are women attracted to bad boys?

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"I am, as it happens, a guest on the private island of Johnny Depp. For reasons that surely once made sense, this 45-acre Bahamian dollop appears on maps as Little Hall’s Pond Cay. And this idyllic stretch of sand has been re-christened by the actor as Lily Rose Beach, after his 10-year-old daughter. We are surrounded by silver buttonwood, mangrove thickets, flowering plants, and a huge coconut tree about to drop its fruit. Tiki torches flicker in the shadows."

So begins the journey on which Depp talks about his John Dillinger film "Public Enemies" (in theaters July 1), his new film "The Rum Diaries," barracudas, friend Marlon Brando and much more.

"Money doesn’t buy you happiness," says Depp. "But it buys you a big enough yacht to sail right up to it." Read the full story here, and below, watch a video of Depp and Christian Bale (who plays Melvin Purvis) at the L.A. premiere of "Public Enemies."

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