EDITORIALS
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Budget Cuts, Ahoy
by Ethan Anderton
May 4, 2010
Source: LA Times
Not even super producer Jerry Bruckheimer is safe from the fiscally conservative clutches of Disney's new chairman Rich Ross. Even after pulling in some $1.03 billion dollars from the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies, which helped make up for all of the straight-to-DVD shit the studio was throwing onto shelves before John Lasseter came along and cleaned house, LA Times says the fourth installment of the high seas adventures featuring Captain Jack Sparrow, On Stranger Tides, will be scaling back a bit. And by scaling back, I mean they only have a budget just above $200 million. How will this ever get made!?
Yes, I'm going to be sarcastic about Bruckheimer having to scale back a movie to costing only $200 million, but at the same time, these cuts have the potential to make the fourth installment of the Pirates franchise a real Debbie Downer. For example, writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio were informed that they need to have Jack Sparrow spend more time on land than water because of the high cost of shooting in water. Uh, this is a movie about pirates, right? In addition, the locations have changed and the number of varying shooting spots have also been reduced along with days allotted for filming (they'll shoot 90 to 95 days compared to 142 days for At World's End). Visual effects shots will also be reduced to around 1,300 (down from 2,000).
Though some of that does sound rough, the fourth Pirates flick will still cost more than some third world countries' economies. And if the film has to lose stuff like an extravagant ice fair on the River Thames or a carriage chase, then so be it. Forgive me if I have no sympathy for the production whatsoever, but I can't in good conscience argue that a fourth Pirates movie needs a bigger budget, especially with all the money they blew on At World's End, which apparently all went to making the story nonsensical and completely stupid. Studios, such as Disney, might have some extra money to throw around if they spent it on higher quality stories instead of returning to the same ole well and throwing Johnny Depp in a flick and calling it a day.
14 Comments
1
Who knows, in the end this might make them more creative by having to find better ways to work through the constraints. Or it could just make the movie crappy, we'll just have to find out.
Ibrahim Aldridge on May 5, 2010
2
This should be one of Disney's flagship titles, they don't need to cut the budget of Pirates of the Caribbean on strange tides. If the film is done right and it is a good story people will pay to see this film Jerry Bruckheimer has always deliver good budget movie with a certain flair that makes people want to see them. I must admit though i didn't like the last film at worlds end.
Cineprog on May 5, 2010
3
Why don't they cut the budget in what they spend behind the scenes. I'm sure you're aware of how much they spend so people are comfortable when they're not filming and it's quite a bit. I'm sure that could save them plenty for at least one awesome added scene.
tra la la la la di da on May 5, 2010
4
Can I suggest to other ways to cut the budget: 1) Offshore the production to a cheaper country such as India. So, instead of Johnny Depp, they could use Jahni Depjit - they can dub his voice later. 2) Don't make this un-necessary movie - instant saving of $200m.
Bash on May 5, 2010
5
If they follow the greratness of the ON STRANGER TIDES BOOK, a lot of great, fantastic and amazing stuff happens on land with the sea being used as the climax flexing to the stories twist and turns in the end.....the only reason im interested in this is because of the book and if they can tap into that successfully, Im sold....but yeah, boo hoo about a piddly 200 mill
Voice of Reason on May 5, 2010
6
@#5- Yes, your right!, i couldn't agree with you more there!. They will be using parts of the book in the movie, but they will be using parts of the story from the book in the movie, but no everything from the book will be in the movie!. They already did say that they will be using parts of teh story in the book, in the movie!, didn't you hear about that yet???.
Sean on May 5, 2010
7
Ian Mcshane is black beard....this movie will be fun to watch either way.
Cody w on May 5, 2010
8
@Cody w- well yeah!, thats true!, and Johnny Depp and Geoffrey rush are returning too, so thats good news too!. I Can't wait to see the movie in 12 months "a year"!, i bet it's gonna be awesome! =).
Sean on May 5, 2010
9
The screenplay was mostly land-bound anyway. And 200m is still a lot. The Harry Potter movies get made for around that much. No?
underscore on May 5, 2010
10
if hollywood is not willing to spend money on there movies then neither am i.
sickdoghats on May 5, 2010
11
Are you kidding me?? At World's End had a huge budget and it sucked majorly! A bazillion unnecessary characters, storylines and locations don't make a film any better. Just think of the whole first part in Singapore - abso-fucking-lutely no relevance to the actual main story but hey, let's blow up a port with asian fireworks, it'll look great! Stop whining about "only 200 million dollars" - if anything it'll make the film better for them to be a little more restricted!
c-r-u-x on May 6, 2010
12
Boo-fucking-hoo. Your budget is ONLY $200 million. How are you ever going going to get ANYTHING accomplished with that?
SlashBeast on May 6, 2010
13
My son has three "Pirates of the Caribbean" posters in his room. This series is a huge money maker. I question the decision to cut the budget. I say spend the money and make the movie right (what's a few extra million between friends). Don't risk the golden goose, and keep the pirates on the water where they belong... otherwise my son may be changing his posters. 🙂
Chuck on May 7, 2010
14
Indeed... I found this forum in google because I saw Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides trailer... and was i got feeling that something is wrong with make up and effects... and now I know that the budget will lower... so sad...
Baryga on Mar 15, 2011
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