After his surprise visit to the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland in California last month, Johnny Depp gave Disneyland Paris a jolt on Sunday as he disembarked in front of a galleon moored at the park’s Castle. Disney’s “Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” (or “Salazar’s Revenge” as it’s known in some international markets) begins rollout on May 24, and there’s been no shortage of promotional events to go along with the fifth movie in the franchise.
On May 4, tracking had “Dead Men Tell No Tales” raking in as much as $100 million over the domestic Memorial Day Weekend. It’s been six years since “On Stranger Tides” released in a similar corridor and went on to gross over $1 billion worldwide, $804 million from international.
Disney is pulling out the stops to raise global awareness on the Joachim Rønning/Espen Sandberg-helmed pic. Last week, it had its world premiere amid much fanfare in Shanghai at Disney’s China resort. In Marne-la-Vallé outside Paris yesterday afternoon, Depp was joined by fellow cast members Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, the directors, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Depp was not in full regalia like he was in California, rather dancers and acrobats dressed as ghost pirates performed for the crowds.
This was all ahead of the film’s European premiere at Gaumont Disney Village, which was simulcast to a dozen IMAX theaters across the continent. Local celebrities including Cécile de France, Nagui, Maréva Galanter, Frank Gastambide, Malik Benthala and Eric Judor also attended as well as a host of influencers.