Johnny Depp rises from the depths in ‘Pirates 3: At World’s End’

Two-time Oscar-nominee Johnny Depp ("Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl," "Finding Neverland") rises from the depths as Captain Jack Sparrow in the third installment of "Pirates" series, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End" from Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

Depp was enthusiastic to pursue the development of Jack Sparrow’s journey. "When we last saw Jack in ‘Dead Man’s Chest,’" Depp explains, "he was swatting his way into the mouth of Kraken, and when we pick him up again in ‘At World’s End’ he’s in Davy Jones’ Locker, which is kind of beyond the idea of purgatory, a kind of hell in which he’s surrounded by himself.  I thought it was a brilliant idea of taking this guy and not have him face his demons, but rather the various sides of his personality."

"It’s an interesting idea that Jack Sparrow has an honest streak that will likely be his undoing," adds screenwriter Ted Elliott. "He says it in the first movie, it actually does happen in the second one, and in this third film Jack has said, in effect, look, I’ve given up on the whole honest streak thing because we all saw where that one led to. That becomes Jack’s struggle throughout…what are you willing to do to get what you want?"

"Johnny Depp is a very surprising, unusual and unique actor," adds Jerry Bruckheimer, "who creates memorable, original characters that audiences just fall in love with. Captain Jack was unlike anything that audiences had seen on screen before, a drunken, swashbuckling character who can barely stand up sometimes, yet is so clever and smart that he outwits everybody around him. And Johnny does this on every movie. Whether it’s Willy Wonka in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,’ J.M. Barrie in ‘Finding Neverland’ or ‘Donnie Brasco,’ he creates something so indelible that you can’t quite put your finger on how he invents that magic."

In the aftermath of the "Dead Man’s Chest" sweep of worldwide box offices last year, Depp was still processing its impact. "It’s shocking you know," admits the actor. "I’m still sort of amazed that so many people in so many corners of the globe embraced the films and Captain Jack, and in a lot of ways just sort of claimed ownership of the character. Nothing like this has ever happened to me, but what’s happened with ‘Pirates’ hasn’t happened to many people. It’s very, very moving and emotional, the idea that people feel this very strong connection with Captain Jack.  You know, seeing little kids dressed up as the character, talking like him. It’s just amazing."

"The possibility of saying goodbye to Captain Jack perhaps forever is not one I look forward to," Depp said.  "But if that is the case, we had a good run. I know Captain Jack will always make me smile. ‘Pirates’ has done a lot for me, and in every way you can imagine. But most importantly, what I’ve felt is this intense, pure joy. Playing this character, and being this character and delivering this character will always bring a smile to my face…always make me happy and proud."

Opening across the Philippines on May 24, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End" is distributed by Buena Vista International through Columbia Pictures.