Chapter 488: About the Sequel

Chapter 488: Chapter 488: About the Sequel

After listening to Irene’s pointers, the chaotic thoughts in Henry’s mind gradually settled down.

The two chatted for a while longer in the promotional set’s lounge area until a staff member came to notify everyone to gather, preparing to set off for the CBS television station to record David Letterman’s "Late Show with David Letterman."

"Late Show with David Letterman" is a late-night talk show broadcast by the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) in the United States.

It features host David Letterman’s humorous and sharp stand-up comedy and current affairs commentary as its core style.

The show is usually broadcast weekly, with a duration of about 57 minutes to an hour.

The content mainly includes host monologues, comedy sketches, guest interviews, and musical performances.

This was also an important late-night talk show on the North American promotional route for "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End."

With a massive viewership base covering audiences of all ages, it was a crucial stop for warming up the film for movie fans across America.

Once the group had packed up, they got into the pre-arranged business fleet and drove from Disney’s headquarters in Burbank to the CBS studio building in downtown Los Angeles.

The atmosphere inside the car was relaxed.

Johnny Depp leaned back in his seat, casually playing with a vintage pirate tricorn hat while softly humming the film’s soundtrack.

Keira Knightley huddled with Henry Cavill, quietly sharing stories about their recent lives in the UK.

Irene sat by the window, quietly flipping through the interview prep materials compiled in advance by the promotional team.

With the first two "Pirates of the Caribbean" films sparking a global phenomenon, the third installment, "At World’s End," carried the expectations of countless viewers.

Everyone was curious whether this pirate story would end here, and the media was doing everything they could to pry clues about a sequel from the creators.

As one of the core Producers of the series, Irene had already reached a tacit understanding with Fox and Disney executives during internal meetings.

Regarding the plans for subsequent sequels, they could neither completely rule out the possibility nor release too much information early to disrupt the current promotional rhythm of the third film.

Her answers had to leave enough wiggle room.

The fleet arrived smoothly at the studio building, where the backstage was already packed with staff, makeup artists, and camera crews.

The main cast and crew entered the dressing rooms one by one to get styled, briefly rehearsed the entrance process, and then waited in the wings.

The studio was brightly lit and packed to capacity, with audience members waving small pirate-themed flags.

The screen repeatedly played the brand-new trailer for "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End," its stirring soundtrack echoing throughout the entire hall, creating an enthusiastic atmosphere that almost blew the roof off.

Accompanied by host David Letterman’s signature opening monologue, thunderous applause erupted.

To the cheerful melody of the live band, Irene led Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, and Henry Cavill onto the stage, sitting side-by-side on the guest sofas.

David Letterman was tall, humorous, and experienced.

Having seen countless Hollywood casts and crews over his many years in the industry, he knew exactly how to engage his guests and control the pace of the interview.

After exchanging pleasantries and briefly discussing the film’s shooting schedule and locations, a few jokes brought him closer to the guests and the audience.

David Letterman then leaned forward slightly, throwing out the blockbuster question that the industry and all movie fans cared about most, handing the microphone to Irene first.

"Irene, I believe every member of the audience here, as well as the fans watching the live broadcast in front of their screens, has the same question in mind." David Letterman said with a hint of teasing, looking sincerely at Irene.

"As the milestone conclusion of this series, is Captain Jack Sparrow’s adventure completely over with ’Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’?

As the core Producer and director of this film, do you have any further ideas for Captain Jack’s story moving forward? Can we expect more sequels?"

The moment those words fell, a faint murmur of discussion rose in the studio, and the other actors on stage turned to look at Irene in unison.

Johnny Depp raised an eyebrow, a playful smile playing on his lips, clearly very interested in the answer to this question.

Keira Knightley crossed her arms, her eyes full of curiosity, while Henry Cavill sat up straight, waiting quietly.

Everyone knew that this question was indeed of great concern to many, and the answer would trigger a chain reaction.

Irene sat up calmly, a warm and composed smile on her face, without giving a direct yes or no answer.

"In my opinion, Jack Sparrow has never been someone who would stop in his tracks." She began slowly, her gaze sweeping over the expectant audience.

"On this vast and boundless ocean, there are still countless unchartered waters. In the ancient and mysterious nautical charts, there are still plenty of legends, treasures, and adventures waiting to be explored. In theory, Captain Jack’s adventure story still has infinite room for expansion."

David Letterman immediately pressed: "So we will see a new pirate movie soon?"

Irene shook her head gently, her timing and tone perfectly measured. "But these brand-new adventures do not belong to the present. I hope everyone can settle down and enjoy the complete journey of ’At World’s End,’ witnessing these pirates reach their current conclusion first. As for the future, leave it to time, and leave it to the sea."

Enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience.

David Letterman also smiled and praised her for her seamless answer, no longer pestering her about the sequel and smoothly shifting the direction of the interview.

"Since we cannot dig deeper into the subsequent plot for now, why do not you tell us about the behind-the-scenes? During the long and grueling shooting schedule, were there any memorable or hilarious anecdotes on set?" The host turned to the main cast members, encouraging them to share behind-the-scenes stories.

Johnny Depp was the first to speak.

Naturally casual and humorous, he carried that same unconstrained temperament of Captain Jack, sharing vivid and interesting memories of the set as soon as he opened his mouth.

He spoke of filming the sea battle scenes, where a huge wave-making pool constantly whipped up giant waves.

Everyone stood on the deck of the replica antique warship, completely soaked in seawater.

The heavy costumes were wet and weighed them down, and after filming a few scenes, everyone’s hands and feet were pruned white.

There were also many wire-fu action scenes, where a single shot was often filmed over a dozen times.

After wrapping up, everyone was sore all over.

During the crew’s dinner in the evening, a group of actors dressed as pirates sat together devouring burgers.

The sheer contrast made the entire audience burst into laughter.

When it was Keira Knightley’s turn, she was frank and direct, with the crisp liveliness of a British girl, laughingly complaining about the heavy, vintage corset costumes.

The dresses in the film were complex and gorgeous, but the tight corsets often left her breathless.

When filming scenes where she had to stand for long periods, the first thing she did during breaks was to quickly loosen the laces to breathe.

The male actors also frequently teased her about it.

Her vivid description of her embarrassment back then drew continuous laughter from the audience.

Finally, it was Henry Cavill’s turn.

He talked about how nervous he was when acting opposite Depp for the first time, worrying that he would not keep up with the other’s improvisational rhythm.

Fortunately, Depp was friendly and patiently discussed performance details with him during breaks, gradually helping him relax and complete all their scenes together smoothly.

After the actors finished sharing, the host looked at Irene again, inviting her to add some behind-the-scenes stories from a Producer’s and creator’s perspective.