‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ becomes 3rd film to surpass $1B bounty
The Walt Disney epic Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest has continued to cut a swath through the box office, becoming the third film to surpass $1 billion US in worldwide ticket sales.
Disney confirmed that, by the weekend, the second in the swashbuckler series had sold $1.003 billion US gross.
Titanic, directed in 1997 by Canadian James Cameron, still tops the list at $1.8 billion US, followed by Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), which amassed $1.1 billion US at the theatre.
However, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest has already beaten another record by taking in $135.6 million US at North American theatres on its opening weekend. It beat a record held by Spider-Man (2002).
A third film, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, is already shooting in Los Angeles with principal cast members Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom.
Sources in Hollywood say Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has flown in to do a cameo.
Depp is reported to have modelled his eccentric character, Capt. Jack Sparrow, on Richards, who is rumoured to be playing Sparrow’s father. Producers have yet to announce what role the musician is playing.
Pirates has been topping the movie charts consistently over the summer season.
The first installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, grossed more than $677 million US at box offices worldwide.
The movie is based on a Disney theme park attraction.
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