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 3×5 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