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Dead Men Tell No Tales (But I Do)
Captain Jack Sparrow is attempting the impressive cinematic “high-five” (five films in a beloved movie series).
And there’s new proof that this daring adventure will reach new depths.
When Disney first released Pirates of the Caribbean back in 2003, and even further back to when this film was pitched, do you think Disney’s studio executives had any conceptualized idea of the treasure money the film (and subsequent sequels) would steal take in at the box office?
That global box office currently runs at $3 billion+, just as an FYI.
Pirates are mostly known as ruthless treasure and gold hunters. Yes, pirates were savages who sailed the high seas on ships with swords, adult beverages, beards, bandanas, planks and a chronically low inventory of toothpaste and toothbrushes. And yet, as a result of brilliant casting, creatively endearing writing and boundless imagination, Disney took full advantage of its theme park ride fame and nostalgia to put a modern (yet centuries old) spin on a group of individuals from yesteryear made most infamous from legends, illustrations, hearsay and stories from our parents and grandparents.
You’ve seen The Goonies, right?
Johnny Depp, with help from his fantastic first cast (Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush), composers Hans Zimmer and Klaus Badelt and the thematically gifted Jerry Bruckheimer, defined (and redefined?) a past world and its pirates with equally gritty, mythical and larger-than-life perceptions for generations of moviegoers.
Thankfully, there is one final chapter up the always clever, smooth-talking sleeve of Captain Jack Sparrow. Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy the brand new trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales released earlier today.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales arrives in theaters on May 26, 2017.
The first film in this series was subtitled, The Curse of the Black Pearl. After four successful films, and a fifth on the way, Disney may want to edit that original subtitle that set the stage for this blockbuster franchise.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Disney’s Box Office Pearl.
Crikey, I’ve Never Seen That Before
You’ve never been so happy to be aboard a plane for hours and hours.
My family’s Christmas tradition, starting from when I was about 5, was to travel somewhere foreign and exotic. Broadening our perspective and soaring far beyond (and above) our preconceived horizons was always a thrill for me, my two older sisters and my parents. No matter what’s happening in our lives, good or bad, traveling somewhere new always proves to be a magical escapism.
From the New Year’s flight over Antarctica to standing in snow watching my sister ski down an indoor slope in Dubai to sleeping in the desert in Oman to enjoying dinner under the stars with Uluru (Ayers Rock) serving as the backdrop, venturing off to exciting places around the world is something I am eternally grateful to my parents for throughout my life. Thank you doesn’t begin to cover my appreciation for these priceless experiences.
And on equilibrium with the destinations are the memories of the journey.
Seeing the world unfold in ways we never thought possible is why we travel. To hear about a far off place is one thing, but to witness and embrace a new culture in-person is enlightening in the best ways imaginable. The sights, sounds and people far exceed what you anticipate. As divided as the world seems these days, one saving grace I’ve always kept close to my vest (not literally, but you know what I mean) is that everywhere I’ve traveled, the people, rich and poor, have been kind, helpful and inspiring.
Experiencing life’s wonder with friends and family, as well as with friendly strangers, is part of the beauty of it all. When you’re on vacation, anything can happen.
Like going on a spur-of-the-moment late night stroll along a riverbank in Kakadu National Park in the Australian Outback with Ranger Ted in an effort to spot crocodiles. And, for the record, we succeeded. Ranger Ted told us to pause our walk to focus our eyes on these two red dots in the middle of the river. From those two red eyes reflecting in the water to the tip of its tail, the crocodile’s length was ~15 feet.
True story.
That’s why we escape the daily grind for an overseas adventure, isn’t it?
Frank Sinatra Had the Right Idea
Fly me to the moon,
Let me play among the stars…
–Frank Sinatra, “Fly Me to the Moon”
Richard Branson and Elon Musk are planning to travel into space in the near future under the guise of private adventurism.
Add Naveen Jain to this growing list.
“The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday that Moon Express, a firm co-founded by billionaire Naveen Jain, was approved to launch a suitcase-sized rover to the moon. Another company, Celestis, has reserved room for ashes and inert DNA samples.”
–Steven Nelson, U.S. News & World Report
Whether a rover, a commercial flight or the colonization of Mars, private citizens and their successful companies are revealing a paradigm shift that’s developing in extreme exploration.
Add movie director James Cameron to the list for oceanic exploration.
The dynamics of and success through globalization (increased customer base and, therefore, increased wealth potential and influence) is permitting a few of the craziest and most eccentric business leaders and firms to dream with their heads in the stars in a literal sense.
Given that many of the world’s most powerful economies are struggling and overwhelmed with more questions than answers, business leaders and ambitious innovators are taking advantage of their positive business ventures with inspired aspirations. Richard Branson (Virgin Galactic), Elon Musk (SpaceX) and Naveen Jain (Mon Express) are among the extreme explorers in the world today. Utilizing their winsome character, the reputations of the aforementioned dreamers attract followers nearly akin to Apple enthusiasts to the late Steve Jobs. There’s a sense that the world, in terms of space travel, is changing in a profound way and people want to be a part of this excitingly promising future.
The ingenuity, daring mentality and, perhaps most essential, the money is on the side of fun, personable billionaire private citizens.
Space travel in the 20th century was defined by the heroic crew of Apollo 11 (Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins) walking on the moon, courtesy of NASA, an integral part of the United States government. “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Space travel in the 21st century will be defined by —
The smart money is with “private citizens.”
Happy Monday!
Los Angeles has redefined the trust fall.
Nearly four months ago, Jimmy’s Daily Planet covered the ambitiously scary plan by U.S. Bank to build a clear slide for visitors. The catch was that the slide would be constructed on the outside of the building. The second catch was the height of said slide:
70 stories.
After experiencing this newly opened thrill ride, you’ll be telling this story about 70 times.
U.S. Bank: Well played.
People asked for more transparency with America’s banks.
Have a Thrill-Seeking Kind of Week!
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