With every new awesome image revealed of Johnny Depp in “Dark Shadows,” we feel more and more guilty about reacting negatively in our first look at his make-up in the upcoming Tim Burton film. A new shot of Depp as vampire Barnabas Collins shows him looking a bit more kid-friendly than we came to think of the character in the cult TV series, but we’re still digging the look.

Up until now, the images we’ve seen from the film have seemed to imply that Burton was taking a darker route, but could it be that “Dark Shadows” will have kid-friendly components as well? We’ll just have to wait for the first trailer to get a better sense of what the movie has in store.

When MTV News caught up with Chloe Moretz at the People’s Choice Awards, she argued that “Dark Shadows” would play to both younger and older crowds because of the way it brings together Burton-lovers and fans of the old TV show.

“I think also it’s open to the older group that actually saw the TV show back in the 1970s,” she said. “And also the new group that love Tim Burton, and they love supernatural movies and TV shows.”

Moretz added, “I think it’s a really revolutionary movie.”

“Dark Shadows” stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Bella Heathcote, Moretz and Gulliver McGrath. It’s due in theaters on May 11.

What did you think of this latest still? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

Captain Jack Sparrow isn’t one for romance. After all, the man has bigger things on the mind, like chasing down cursed treasure chests and winning back his precious Black Pearl — or, in the case of “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” finding his way to the Fountain of Youth.

That doesn’t mean he can’t stop for a little squeeze on the side, of course, perhaps one that even gives him some deeply troubling “stirrings” in the depths of his heart. Indeed, Sparrow’s fiercest foe in this latest adventure is not the dreaded Blackbeard or the familiar Barbossa, but the seductive Angelica, the woman in his past who got away… or, to hear her tell it, he pushed away.

The chemistry between Sparrow and Angelica boils to a bubble from their very first scene together, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer credits that electric dynamic to the real-life friendship between Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz.

“Her performance was great and there is such great chemistry between Johnny and Penelope,” he told MTV News. “They actually really do like each other. They worked together 10 years ago [on 'Blow']. You see that chemistry onscreen.”

From Bruckheimer’s perspective, an actress like Cruz — who was pregnant during the shooting of “On Stranger Tides” — was absolutely essential to find if the “Pirates” team wanted to create a character that Jack could believably contend with and, yes, possibly fall for.

“You need someone like Penelope, who’s an Academy Award winner, to go up against Johnny Depp, because if they’re not as good as she is, you can see it right away,” said Bruckheimer. “You can’t spar with Johnny unless you’re brilliant.”

Tell us what you think in the comments section and on Twitter!

Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides movie review should note that a worthy installment had been added to this hugely enjoyed franchise and this one had added up to adventure packed sage as an amazing one. Favorite pirate of all Jack Sparrow is back with another of swash buckling adventures and with some formidable enemies crossing his path this time also he delivered his fans something unforgettably awesome. Thus onlookers had found it quite easy to be be entertained for they had been given the chance to have a great time at theaters looking at something well crafted and finely done.

A listed actor Johnny Depp appeared to have easily stepped into shoes of swashbuckling pirate Jack Sparrow and in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides movie review much credit should be given to his fine performance which had made the running time to movie to pass by packed with pure entertainment. Rest of cast which had included some highly recognized and notable movie stars had also delivered fine pieces of acting which had made the overall cinematic experience to be fantastic. Thus it came as no wonder that ardent fans of the series had found this to be delightful.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides movie review should also add that in this entire franchise which had been filled with action,adventure and thriller this new addition had turned out to be an exceptional installment since this had been unlike any previous parts. With a fan base of its own they had been looking forward with much anticipation to see this and their wish for something thoroughly entertaining had been answered in a fantastic way. Thus it comes as no surprise that this had gone on to receive mostly positive responses from audiences by attracting them to be there at theaters to see this.

In Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides movie review credit should be given to director Rob Marshall who had stepped in as director to helm the project. With an understanding of what audiences will be looking forward to see in this installment he had made sure to add plenty of action, adventure and thriller. Their fine fusion had enabled the cinematic experience to be awesome and thrilling. This time also there had been generous amount of swashbuckling and with the addition of some other eye catching and fascinating features this had turned out to be a wonderful movie indeed.

Offering eager fans the chance to have an unforgettably entertaining time at theaters Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides movie review should attribute success of this motion picture to talented director and star studded cast for doing their best to make this cinematic experience a fantastic one. Considering the success and mostly positive response this had received from audiences it is possible to say that fans might be able to see another fun packed installment in future. Until then they can enjoy this to fullest for this had turned out to be a truly entertaining and purely delightful joyride.

A lizard who lives in a terrarium. Starring Johnny Depp. Directed by Gore Verbinski. Set in the Mojave Desert. Has there ever been a more unlikely combination? Maybe, but “Rango” looks like it’s going to pass with flying colors regardless when it hits theaters today.

But there’s a lot of elements of the film that you probably had no idea about, like the way the CGI was captured and who Depp based Rango on. After the jump, we give you some insight into just how special this little film actually is.

The Film Was Shot In Live Action
“Rango” might not be the first film to employ its actors to be shot live and in action (“The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “Monster House,” “Happy Feet” and “Beowulf” were all shot similarly), but it certainly is the best looking. Instead of locking its actors in sound studios for them to recite their lines, director Gore Verbinski had his actors perform their roles in live action to capture their movements and get more realistic chemistry between them. From the looks of the trailers, we’re impressed.

It’s Industrial Light & Magic’s First Animated Film
The special effects company that George Lucas created for “Star Wars” after the special effects department at 20th Century Fox was shut down has worked on many films over its 35 year lifespan, but somehow it hasn’t made a fully animated film. Until now, that is, which explains why the animation looks so darn good. And if the story stands up as well, Pixar might have another rival on its hands.

It’s Also Gore Veribinski’s First Animated Film
And knowing Verbinski’s great relationship with Depp through the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, we’re sure the chemistry the two of them have will be enough to carry this movie through any potential mishaps.

Johnny Depp Based His Character On Hunter S. Thompson
This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise based on the look of Rango, but Johnny Depp has supposedly based the character he created in the film on the late gonzo writer Hunter S. Thompson, a man he already played in “Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas” and will play again in “The Rum Diaries.” Welcome to lizard country!

It’s The First Animated Film To Have “Smoking” In Its MPAA Rating Description
Well, also for rude humor, language and action, but it is a bit surprising to learn that the film is rated PG for smoking too. Then again, knowing what Depp based Rango on, it’s not the biggest shock of the century.

Is “Rango” a film you’re looking forward to? Were you surprised by any of these things? Let us know in the comments section or on Twitter!

Johnny Depp is a man with many hats, and we’re not just talking about his various film roles. In addition to being an actor, Depp is something of a human lie detector, it seems.

We’ll allow Depp to explain this one for himself: over the course of shooting “Rango,” the animated comedy featuring Depp’s voice in the title role, the acclaimed actor discovered some of the tricks and tells that let you know whether or not a person is telling the truth.

“If this guy is in deep stress and forced to act or lie in these situations that really are do or die, one of the things I’ve always been fascinated with people is they have a tendency where the register of their voice goes up when they lie,” he told us. “You and I could have a conversation like this, but if I’m really starting to talk about something and I want you to believe me, the register goes up. You start teetering on soprano.”

Depp’s observations were extremely helpful in his performance as Rango, a quirky chameleon who finds himself lying through a sticky situation. But even though mother always taught us that lying is bad, Depp insists that everyone has a little bit of the fibbing Rango inside of them.

“What I saw early on with the character, and something that [director Gore Verbinski] and I talked about, is that it is in sort of all of us, in a way,” Depp explained. “There is a chameleonic side to all of us in which we find ourselves in certain situations that you have to adapt to, sitting across from personalities that you have to adapt to in order to survive the moment or survive the day. That’s kind of how I saw Rango.”

What do you think of Depp’s lie-detecting skills? Tell us in the comments section and on Twitter!

Filed under: Reviews, New Releases, Cinematical

With ‘Rango,’ the only thing more astonishing than its subversive sense of humor and general anarchy is the fact that a studio is putting it in wide release. It’s a cartoon about talking animals, but I don’t know if kids will like it. I’m not even sure it’s intended for them. Some of the jokes are surprisingly grown-up. The story has direct references to ‘Chinatown,’ ‘Blazing Saddles,’ ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Apocalypse Now,’ and spaghetti Westerns. The humor is slapstick one minute, hallucinatory the next. The characters are deliberately un-cute in appearance, with great attention paid to the grimy details of their matted fur, unsightly scales, and physical imperfections. The whole thing feels like the Coen brothers made a Tex Avery cartoon set in the Old West, ran it through a Pixar filter, and then dipped it in LSD.

Rango, voiced by Johnny Depp, is a pet chameleon suffering from an existential crisis. A natural-born actor, he amuses himself by carrying out playlets with the props in his terrarium (headless Barbie doll, wind-up fish toy), until one day fate delivers him out into the world — the Mojave Desert, specifically. Advised by a wise, elderly armadillo (Alfred Molina), our lizard friend goes on a spiritual quest that takes him to the tiny town of Dirt, a saloon-and-mercantile outpost populated by desert animals.

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Filed under: Trailers and Clips, Movie News, Cinematical

With the next installment gearing up for a May 20, 2011 release, it’s time to see some action from Disney’s upcoming 3D sequel, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,’ before the official trailer debuts online on December 13th, and then in theaters with ‘Tron: Legacy’ on December 17th.

This time it’s not Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow chatting to the camera to tease the new pirate extravaganza, but rather an actual look at production. Entertainment Tonight was invited to the set and they offer up a bunch of peeks at Sparrow and his new co-star Penelope Cruz (as Angelica) as they wave goodbye to the old trio format (Depp, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom), hit stranger tides and look for the fountain of youth.

Hit the jump to check it out.

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Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical

- To your right is the first look at Gary Oldman as George Smiley in Tomas Alfredson’s (‘Let The Right One In’) adaptation of John Le Carre’s ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.’

- The ’80s anime ‘Bubblegum Crisis’ about a gang of female mercs raging against the robot army of the GENOM Corporation is being turned into a Live Action 3-D film directed by Anthony La Molinara. The film will be a truly international venture as production is being spread across Canadian, Chinese, English, Australian and Japanese companies.

- Tim Burton’s long talked about reimagining of ‘Dark Shadows’ starring Johnny Depp will finally start shooting next April.

- Zack Snyder insists that his ‘Superman’ will be different from previous films and that General Zod most definitely will not be the villain.

- Stephen Sommers is planning an adaptation of Dean Koontz’s ‘Odd Thomas’ book about a psychic cook who gets into (mis)adventures in the small town where he lives. The budget is set at $47 million. [via ComingSoon]

- Andrew Niccol’s (‘Gattaca) new sci-fi film starring Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy and Alex Pettyfer about a world where years of life have become the new currency has been retitled from ‘I’m.Mortal’ to ‘Now.’

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The eighth time is the charm. At long last, Deadline is confirming that Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton will be teaming up for the big-screen adaptation of the ’60s vampire-themed TV show “Dark Shadows” that both have been tentatively attached to for a while. And, as an added bonus, “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” writer Seth Grahame-Smith is going to be penning the script for the flick.

Depp will be playing the vampire Barnabas Collins, a role he’s always been thirsty to tackle. The TV show was most popular when the 200-year-old vampire villain was introduced to its mythology, so it can be assumed that the film version will follow his story line. This will be both Burton and Depp’s first time making a vampire film (“Ed Wood” was a film about making a vampire film).

Production is set to begin in April, which looks like bad news for some of the other projects Depp has been actually and reportedly attached to. Earlier this week it was rumored that he might be the Huntsman in the upcoming action-adventure “Snow White and the Huntsman,” but that’s supposed to go into production at around the same time as “Shadows”… so it looks Snow White will need to find another badass mentor. It also doesn’t bode well for Depp’s role in Kathryn Bigalow‘s “Triple Frontier,” though Deadline said Mark Wahlberg is the likely back-up.

On the other hand, “Dark Shadows” gives us hope that our suggestion that Depp play Lincoln in the upcoming adaptation of “Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” might come to fruition. Burton is already set to produce the flick, and we already know how much he loves working with Depp. Plus, as we said before, “Lincoln” was written by Grahame-Smith, who’s now writing “Dark Shadows.” Sounds like a no-brainer to us.

Are you glad the “Dark Shadows” remake is finally being made? Tell us in the comments!

Filed under: Movie News, Oscar News, Cinematical

With Venice and Toronto distant memories, tongues have been wagging non-stop on the subject of Oscar season hopefuls. There are the obvious choices – The King’s Speech, The Social Network, 127 Hours – and then there’s… Alice in Wonderland.

Deadline reports that Walt Disney are seriously campaigning for their billion-dollar grosser, and are tempting Oscar voters with special screenings of the film, in 3D, in select theatres. The film will run at the Arclight Hollywood and AMC Santa Monica from October 18th to the 21st and will be accompanied by an exhibition of Coleen Atwood’s costumes for the flick … because they don’t want to make it too obvious as to which awards they’re campaigning for.

Of course, that’s where the nominations are likely to go for the film, if they’re to go anywhere. Regardless of how ‘Alice in Wonderland’ turned out as a whole, there’s no doubting its technical achievement is pretty impressive. As well as Atwood’s costumes, it’s in with a shot in both make-up and visual effects categories.


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