Penelope Cruz snubs von Trier for Pirates of the Caribbean – Monsters and Critics.
The internet has been flooded for a week with stories of Penelope Cruz being in talks with Disney to star as Jack Sparrow’s, er, nemesis? Colleague? Bosom Buddy? I’m really not sure (and for all we know, the writers aren’t sure yet either – that makes me nervous.) Anyways, I haven’t bothered sharing the news, because if PotC2 and 3 taught us anything, it’s that rumors will go back and forth and back again, and trying to keep up with them is just pointless.
So is this story just a rumor? Almost certainly. But it’s also the first story I’ve come across to claim that Cruz is out of talks, and has reached a decision. Personally, I have trouble picturing Penelope Cruz as a suitable counter to Jack Sparrow – she always seemed so scrawny. But I also had trouble picturing Johnny Depp as a memorable pirate, and we all know how that one turned out (no sarcasm implied – Jack Sparrow is a brilliant character.)
Wait and see, mates. Wait and see. The second and third films had their faults, no doubt. But between Davy Jones, Bootstrap Bill, Tia Dalma, Captain Teague, and even the underutilized Pirate Lords, the folks at Disney have at least showed a sustained ability to make colorful, memorable characters. I’ve my concerns about the story, but I think it’s a safe bet that if Cruz is actually onboard with On Stranger Tides, then she’s about to be transformed into a dashing she-pirate by which all others will soon be judged.
Huh… setting aside the fact that there is absolutely no character in On Stranger Tides that even remotely bears resemblance to Penelope Cruz, she could make a wicked cool she-pirate. I could see her being a perfect counterpart to Sparrow. Simultaneously making him fall madly in love with her, while also trying to kill him, etc.
And yet… there’s just no character like that in the book…
Okay, not that there’s a character like Sparrow either, but at least Barbossa bears something of a resemblance to Powers’ Blackbeard… Ugh, please don’t make a hash of this, Disney!
Agreed on all accounts, McCool. I’ve heard tell that the movie will bear little to no resemblance to the book save the title and the Fountain of Youth. Personally, that’s my hope, as any effort to force the PotC cast into the On Stranger Tides plot seems ill-conceived at best. Jack Sparrow resembles not a single character as you said, nor does a swashbuckling female character.
PotC4 will sink or swim as a film on its own merit, but sadly I don’t envision a scenario where the book is done justice of any kind.
Hear hear. I’ve read On Stranger Tides – and when Disney announced POTC4’s new title, I read it again. Color me unimaginative, but I just can’t wrap the head around Jack Sparrow et al in this story…at least sticking closely enough to it to be recognizable, anyway. On the OTHER hand, lots of magic and fighting and double-crossing and wicked ways, so maybe I’m just not stretching enough. I’m really looking forward to seeing how they pull this off. Penelope? Maybe she’s the damsel in distress. She can do that. Sort of.
I agree- while I’ve been having some trouble wrapping my head around Penelope Cruz being a pirate, I think she might could pull it off. She and Johnny Depp will either suck together or be dynamic- your call, Disney. Please just don’t screw this one up.
Penelope Cruz? really? i’m losing more and more hope in this movie as more information comes out. First there’s no Keira Knightly, now thier penelope cruz a female pirate? If they were going to have a female pirate why not get zoe saldana to come back as Anamaria? People like her… and just to be bias, i was one of the people hoping jack and elizabeth would end up together in someway, so this may play a part in me not liking penelope cruz for this part…