Barrett B. writes in to say:

I've really been enjoying Lady F. 's series about working on "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." That's always been my dream of mine. To an extra on a big Hollywood film like "Pirates." To stand on the set in costume and watch as the film's cast & crew make the magic happen.

Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises

Given that you seem to be so well connected at Disney, Jim, I don't suppose that you could help me make my dream come true. Based on what you said in Monday's article, they've still got to shoot another six-to-eight weeks of stuff to finish up "Pirates III." Will they be using extras in any of those scenes? And if so, do you know anyone who's associated with this picture who can help me get a job as an extra?

Thanks in advance for your help,

Barrett B.

Dear Barrett B.

My typical answer to an e-mail like this usually goes something like this: "You do realize that I'm the guy who lives 'way the hell out in the woods of New Hampshire, right? The one that a lot of Disney executives despise? Which is why I'm really not the one you want to talk with if you want special treatment from the Mouse House"

But then -- almost within minutes of receiving Barrett's e-mail -- another note popped up in my in-box. Which read:

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 3 OPEN CALL

Open Casting Call - Through 15 August 2006

Pirates of the Caribbean 3

PIRATES HOTLINE

818.725.2905

Sande Alessi Casting

13731 Ventura Blvd., Top Floor

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Monday through Friday, 11am – 3pm

Seeking Pirates -- men age 18+, all shapes and sizes, all ethnicities: Asian, Spanish, French, African, Syrian, Lebanese, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Armenian, Arab, Persian, Caucasian, South American, Pacific Islander, Eskimo, etc...

You must be an extreme character type! We need extremely skinny, very tall, very short, hunchback, little people, unusual facial features and body types, exotic amputees, albinos, etc.

Bring your own current 3x5 photo (does not have to be professional). If you do not have a photo, we can take one for you for $2.00

It's weird how the universe works sometimea, don't you think?

Anyway ... There's your answer, Barrett. If you really want to be an extra on the set of "Pirates III," Sande Alessi is looking for some new rogues to appear in "At World's End." So if you're going to be Southern California now through August 15th, why not swing by their office in Sherman Oaks and see if you actually have what it takes to become a member of Captain Jack Sparrow's crew?

Speaking of "Pirates III" ... Last month while Jeff Lange & I were at the Licensing Show in NYC, Jeff was actually able to snag a shot of the teaser poster for the next film in the trilogy:

Photo by Jeff Lange

Pretty neat looking, don't you think?

Also, in this past Monday's story, I mentioned that officials at Walt Disney Studios were being rather closed-mouth when it came to discussing how they thought "Dead Man's Chest" might do over its opening weekend. Out of concern of repeating what just happened with "Cars."

Some JHM readers supposedly thought that I just made up that part of Monday's column. That there was just no way that an official from Walt Disney Studios would actually talk that way to a member of the press. Well, if that were really the case ... Then how do you explain this quote from Chuck Viane, the president of Buena Vista Distribution, which appears in today's "Variety"?

But Disney is staying mum on how big it thinks "Pirates" will be. "I have no idea. I am not even going to fathom a guess," Mouse House distrib topper Chuck Viane said. "No matter how you answer that question, it can come back to hurt you."

That sounds sort of familiar, don't you think?

But JHM readers ... They're not afraid to hazard a guess as to how "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" will do over its opening weekend. As of midnight last night, 170 folks have posted their predictions about this motion picture will do at the box office:

JHM reader's guess at "Dead Man's Chest" opening weekend gross	JHM reader's name
$46.6 million	Chlane
$52.5 million	Kingmob
$61.3 million	kingofswing
$67.5 million	disney my second home
$68 million	A. K. Hershey
$68.1 million	Stevie1derful
$69.5 million	i love donald
$71.3 million	kelderek
$71.6 million	Chipnme1962
$72.3 million	TerryTiger
$74.5 million	curmudgeon
$77.5 million	Topollino
$78.4 million	Ripthorn
$79.5 million	TikiBird 73
$80.1 million	pfitzsi
$81 million	ConnerLives
$82 million	outsider624
$82.5 million	colelaus
$82.6 million	OrangeWhip
$82.7 million	Gargamike
$84.5 million	t1carroll
$85 million	leodavinci
$85.3 million	Fictitious
$85.5 million	peoplemover
$86.6 million	tolkoto
$86.9 million	kronos77
$87,550,000	Rob
$88 million	mattyp0119
$88.2 million	bigWALL
$89.2 million	original19
$89.7 million	swenocha
$89.8 million	Oogie13oogie
$90.1 million	Disneyfamily
$90.2 million	englishboy
$90.3 million	LenTesta
$90.6 million	DizneeProfitEar
$91.5 million	Lee
$91.7 million	kgforce
$92.3 million	wylander
$92.3 million	Mister Glass
$92.5 million	nwe
$92.6 million	Dancing with the Stars!
$93 million	CraigSam
$93.4 million	unit42ffd
$93.5 million	shoewee
$93.6 million	outsider624
$94.2 million	RogerRmjet
$94.2 million	rjrip
$94.5 million	peanutj
$94.6 million	pschnebs
$94.8 million	abogdan
$95.2 million	dclyde06
$95.2 million	bravesfn1
$95.7 million	percy
$96.2 million	doceagle
$96.3 million	dsnypaul
$96.4 million	DwAdale
$97.4 million	Addie Boy
$98.2 million	technobrat
$98.5 million	mschwert11
$98.6 million	Moonliner
$99 million	orljustin
$99.5 million	NubtheSquirrel
$100 million	RoadDogBC
$100 million	N2DVD
$100.2 million	icrra
$100.3 million	rricg03
$100.4 million	Bixby
$101.2 million	crow
$101.5 million	rjrice6173
$101.7 million	ESVADJ
$102 million	thunderl
$102.2 million	Yensid321
$102.4 million	DisneyScott
$102.6 million	Nitemuze2
$102.6 million	brotherdave
$103 million	ckane123
$103.2 million	Cybergosh
$103.5 million	Electric Panda
$104.2 million	neon
$104 million	Bill5925
$104,444,000.44	btbarlow
$104.7 million	RidePhoto101
$105 million	supersanborn
$105 million	mawnck
$105.6 million	toddhs
$106.2 million	DisneyFanatic001
$107.1 million	swfanatic
$107.35 million	jeffsch
$107.4 million	wolverine92
$108.1 million	brer frog
$108.5 million	RRapier33
$109 million	juampi
$109.6 million	Davidgrahammd
$110 million	maskdmirag
$110.35 million	BigDaddy
$110.8 million	sgtslovak
$111 million	Smilee306
$111.11 million	fliewr
$111.12 million	craiglisa
$111.5 million	mickeyfan97
$112 million	Abigail's Uncle
$112.5 million	WDWFanatic
$112.5 million	a-mad
$112.6 million	Buck
$113.13 million	jordn613
$113.7 million	k-man
$113.7 million	volvodrivingdude
$114 million	anonymouse
$114.35 million	bhb007
$115.1 million	AuntDisney
$115.4 million	zapatabe
$115,527,014	Xited4disney
$116.2 million	kfrogpaul
$116,525,113	RichrayM
$116,985,000	cruisedude4
$117,110,708	zenifrax
$117.2 million	jocksparrow
$117.3 million	ocjedi
$117.3 million	mark4407
$117.43 million	Tomas Soderlind
$117.46 million	WelcomeHomeOKW
$117.5 million	manutdfan
$117.5 million	POTCgurl
$117.6 million	greenyskp
$117.7 million	TZA
$118.1 million	anthrid
$118.215 million	Skull Rock Pirate
$118.5 million	sure
$119 million	Livia52001
$119.3 million	pixiegirltink
$119.6 million	RenRuiz
$120.3 million	tericson
$120.7 million	futureman
$121 million	Jackthepumpkinking
$121.6 million	cbissonette
$122 million	campdisney
$122.5 million	AlexK
$122.7 million	JenLoy
$123,023,023.42	GeoffreyNeasedotcom
$123.6 million	PintoColvig
$124.3 million	Friar Storm
$124.6 million	Epcotrob
$124.6 million	ChuckBo
$124.7 million	pixiesfan37
$125 million	Skibammer
$126.2 million	AnnB
$126.3 million	indnchf
$126.4 million	MosquitoControl
$126.5 million	pacomama
$127.1 million	juanpablor
$127,217,009.42	hagen
$128.2 million	megaelch
$128.4 million	jennifer1013
$129.5 million	vishazz
$130 million	brresler
$130.5 million	mgbrooks
$131 million	GofForever
$132.6 million	muppetaphrodite
$133.4 million	blackcauldron85
$135.63 million	aggie96
$136.2 million	mnmears
$142 million	Uncle Ed
$144.4 million	Gracie
$148 million	ennsm
$150 million	Bryangiss
$160 million	C33
$167.5 million	jonyyeh
$210.5 million	dlr50th
$317 million	yensidtlaw1969
$321 million	otisney

Just a reminder: The JHM reader who comes closest to predicting the exact figure that this Gore Verbinski film earns over its first Friday, Saturday and Sunday in domestic release will win a "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" gift pack. Which includes:

• A "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" movie storybook
• A "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" storybook with spyglass
• A "Pirates of the Caribbean" Ultimate Sticker book
• A "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest -- The Curse of Davy Jones" picture book
• A "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest -- Swann Song" picture book
• A "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest -- The Chase is On" picture book
• A "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest -- Search for Jack Sparrow" deluxe coloring book
• A "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" reusable sticker book
• A "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" coloring book with tattoos

The winner of JHM's latest contest will be announced on Tuesday morning after the final official box office tallies for this upcoming weekend have been posted. Thanks to all of you who decided to take part in this contest ... and good luck.

My apologies if today's column seems to be a bit on the short side. But I now have to go get on line for the first matinee of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." After all these months of yakking about Disney's latest release, I thought that it might be kind of fun to see if the finished product was actually worth all of this fuss.

You folks have a great weekend, okay? We'll talk again on Monday ...

j

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