image © Disney

This week, the Disney Parks Blog announced the opening of a new Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios park in Orlando’s Walt Disney World.

“The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow” will feature the story of everyone’s favorite ne’er-do-well buccaneer Jack Sparrow, putting guests seemingly right on decks.
 

From the Blog:
 

According to Jason Roberts, show producer for Walt Disney Imagineering, “This is going to be an immersive experience. We’ll really delve into the story of Captain Jack Sparrow and put our guests in the middle of it all in new and exciting ways. Story is always the most important thing for us at Walt Disney Imagineering, but we’re always looking at new ways to tell the story that our guests have never seen before. In this attraction, we’ll let you walk in the footsteps of Jack Sparrow. It’s not ‘the making of,’ not ‘behind the scenes’ … it is really a first-person experience. We worked with the archives as well as the filmmakers while they were shooting the last movie. And as a fan, I just loved sitting through those films again and again, going through all the details and leveraging them for this new experience. It’s really been a blast.”

According to sources, this new experience will be housed in the “Soundstage 4″ building which also was the home to the “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” attraction, “Journey to Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” and set pieces from the “The Haunted Mansion” and “101 Dalmations” films.
 

The opening date of this amazing experience will be announced later this year.  Keep To The Code will be there to keep you informed!

Head over to our Facebook page and check out the initial rogues gallery!

KTTC Facebook Wondercon images

If any of these dastardly damsels or dunsels look familiar, be sure to tag them for proper credit and their share of the booty!

Disney has put up this video as a tribute. Enjoy!
 

Keep To The Code is off to Wondercon 2012 in Anaheim, CA!

We will be reporting on any and all things POTC and any piratey items we happen to come across during the next exciting 3 days!  Keep up to speed with us via Twitter and Facebook for updates throughout the weekend!

 
And if you’re attending Wondercon, come find us and say “Ahoy!”

The article is pretty in-depth, with extensive info on gameplay, features, and characters from the game.  Be warned, though- the reviewer does not pull punches, and does point out a few flaws in the release itself.

In other LEGO news today, the Bloomberg website has a story out regarding the Danish brick builder’s increases in sales  this year over other toymakers like Hasbro and Mattel.  A lot of that success apparently helped along by it’s third party licences such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, and yes- everyone’s favorite Pirates of the Caribbean, which has surpassed the company’s expectations!

Now, I realize that while the latest POTC film would probably not be best picture material, but I couldn’t help but notice that there were a handful of categories that On Stranger Tides could have been nominated for, but were sorely overlooked.

Let’s have a peek:

Costume Design

OST had some w work done in the period clothing and costumes worn by the cast. The outfitting of the zombie pirates and the attention to detail in the British Redcoats should have been worthy of Academy notice. Costume Designer Penny Rose did a particularly brilliant job on Ian McShane as Blackbeard in particular. The look of the notorious and very real pirate was captured marvelously, and was deserving of a nomination.

Ian McShane as "Blackbeard"

Original Score

Hans Zimmer hit this out of the park. The soundtrack for OST was fitting the mood of the film and very memorable. Mixing familiar Pirates of the Caribbean themes with new, sometimes menacing musical cues, Zimmer weaves drama and humor into the score- which should have been noticed by the Academy, in my opinion.

Music from "On Stranger Tides"

 
Sound (editing & mixing)

The Sound team for OST did a cracking good job with every element. From the clashing of swords, to the creaking of wood aboard the cursed Queen Anne’s Revenge, to the eerie, otherworldly voices of the mermaids, everyone involved with OST’s audio aspects deserved recognition with a nomination.

Visual Effects

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been at the forefront of breakthrough visual effects- from Davy Jones to Shipwreck Cove- each film has brought the cursed Caribbean to life through both practical and computer generated effects. OST is no exception. Scores of model makers, CGI animators, motion capture technicians, and other special effects masters made this film a visual feast, certainly enough to garner a nomination in this category.

Deadly mermaids brought to life

Writing (adapted screenplay)

Most fans know that OST was adapted from a book by Tim Powers. The story was adapted by Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott, using elements of the Powers novel but placing them firmly within the Pirates of the Caribbean mythos. Not to gush, as Ted and Terry are friends of the site, but these fellows really spun this yarn quite well. While some critics were, well, critical of the story and screenplay, fans of the film have proved that it sits proudly as one of the top grossing films of all time. Those numbers don’t lie- and a good portion of that is due to Mr’s Rossio and Elliot. Unfortunately, the Academy didn’t think so.

Ted Elliot & Terry Rossio - Writers of the Caribbean

So, these are but a few of the categories that OST really should have been nominated in for the 2012 Oscars. And again, I’m not saying the current nominees are any less deserving, but not showing these folks some love for their fantastic work is a shame.

What do you think? Was OST snubbed by the Academy this year? Were there other categories you believe Pirates should have been nominated for? Let us know in the comments section below, or post on our messageboard and expound on your opinions!

- Captain LeQuatte

Commodore, KeepToTheCode

Keep To The Code’s POTC Barbie® Pirate Costume Contest!
 

We’ve seen pirates aplenty in this cursed place, and now you can see which buccaneers rule the seas!
 
 
AND!
 
 
KeepToTheCode’s “On Stranger Tides” Pirate’s Booty Giveaway!
 

Snacks and foodstuffs now fill our hold! See what our “top chef” has in store for you!
 
 

Click on the links above or navigate your way here to our CONTESTS page, and celebrate with our fantastic winners!

Take a look and let us know what you think in the comments below or on our “Live The Legend!” forum!

 
The Worldwide numbers have risen to over $600 million as well, easily beating “Curse of the Black Pearl” and looking well on its way to surpassing both “Dead Man’s Chest” and “At World’s End”. Still, some are taking the film’s somewhat disappointing $190.2 million domestic showing to mean that U.S. filmgoers are tiring of extravagant 3D productions and prices.

 
In total, OST’s full bounty stands at $790.7 millon, so far the biggest film of the summer season. Anyone willing to lay down a bet on how much the finally haul will be?

 
 
Leave a comment below, or join in the ongoing discussions on our Messageboard!
 
- The Crew