'Pirates Of The Caribbean 4' To Shoot In 3-D

Johnny Depp's fourth open-water adventure, 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,' will be shot in Disney Digital 3D.

Captain Jack Sparrow might have to learn a new seafaring ditty that goes a little something like, "Yo-ho-ho, a bottle of rum and a pair of your finest 3-D glasses." Yes, Johnny Depp's fourth open-water adventure, "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," will be shot in Disney Digital 3-D, the studio has announced.

That brings the total number of 3-D releases in the next two years to, oh, approximately 6,000 (not really, though it certainly feels that way). The noteworthy development for "Pirates," then, is not that it will hit theaters as a 3-D movie but that it will be shot in three-dimensions rather than converted during post-production.

The 3-D conversion process has become one of the more controversial trends in Hollywood. Converted films, like "Alice in Wonderland" or "Clash of the Titans," can have a sort of pop-up picture book effect that is more jarring than it is an effective visual and storytelling addition. That hasn't stopped other big-budget films shot with 2-D cameras from jumping on the 3-D conversion bandwagon and the premium ticket prices that can be sold as a result. Upcoming converted films include "Piranha 3-D," "The Last Airbender," "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and "The Green Hornet."

And then there are the movies shot — or soon to shoot — in 3-D, despite some of the inconveniences that come with such productions (such as the heavier, less maneuverable cameras): "Drive Angry," "Tron Legacy" and "The Invention of Hugo Cabret." That "Pirates" has decided to film with 3-D cameras lends credence to the idea that such cameras will become the norm in Hollywood, rather than the contentious conversion process. In light of the "Pirates" move, it will be interesting to see what other blockbuster franchises such as "Spider-Man," "G.I. Joe" and "Transformers" choose to do. Will the minds behind these films decide that a true 3-D experience can only be created via 3-D cameras? Or, at least for now, will conversions continue to a popular creative choice?

"I think the answer is that, as with most movies, you're going to do some kind of combination if you end up doing it," "Transformers" producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura told MTV News last month. "I'm sure 3-D cameras are going to get lighter and more manageable and all the things that get in the way right now. Over time, that may change. But I think in the near and medium term, most movies will do a combination when and if they do it."

What do you think of "Pirates" going 3-D, and the 3-D movie trend? Sound off in the comments below!

Source: MTV