Johnny Depp signs massive multi-deal Disney contract!!!

Johnny Depp has already made $2.6 billion for Disney with his creation of the Jack Sparrow character for the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN trilogy and now the actor has signed another multi-deal contract with his new favourite studio which should see him make them at least a billion more.

JOHNNY DEPP IS "TONTO" IN THE LONE RANGER

First up, Variety have confirmed that Depp will re-team with Ted Elliott and Ted Rossio, the two writers who wrote the original POTC for their new franchise THE LONE RANGER, Disney's resurrection of the popular Western radio and t.v. character which was seen as their next big property for adaptation. A little surprisingly, he won't be playing the famous lead character and will instead play the sidekick Tonto! Depp is part Cherokee, but come on... Depp is too big a star to play the sidekick. Knowing Depp, he will make the sidekick part become bigger than the lead, and will once again take over a franchise, which isn't so bad for POTC but when the movie is titled THE LONE RANGER, it will become a problem. Just what actor can you get who has a bigger presence than Depp, I'm not sure it's possible? No director for this one yet but don't be completely surprised if PIRATES helmer Gore Verbinski ends up with it, we know he is a huge Western fan (his favourite movie is THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY) and Disney know they can trust him. Add to that, Depp and Verbinski are already teaming together for the fourth time in their careers with the upcoming animated movie RANGOannounced recently.

DEPP CONFIRMED AS "THE MAD HATTER" IN ALICE IN WONDERLAND

The trade have also confirmed what we speculated months ago that Depp would indeed be "motion capturing" The Mad Hatter for Tim Burton's 3-D animated ALICE IN WONDERLAND. The movie is expected to begin production in November. A March 5th 2010 release date has been set and you can probably expect a highly stylised adaptation with the typical Burton signature evident throughout.

DEPP SIGNS UP FOR PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4!

Dressed in character at the Disney Press Junket, Depp revealed that he has signed on for a PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4, which won't have Orlando Bloom or Keira Knightley involved and will be based around Jack Sparrow. Rumors at one point suggested the movie would be a sci-fi/adventure film with Sparrow searching for The Lost City of Atlantis alongside Captain Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush, who I would expect to return).

What's next for Depp?

Depp will next appear in tribute to Heath Ledger in THE IMAGNARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS early next year. Following that is his big Michael Mann summer blockbuster PUBLIC ENEMIES where he stars as notorious gangster John Dillinger opposite Christian Bale in what is one of the more exciting movies of next year. Post that will be ALICE IN WONDERLAND in 2010 and unfortunately his long standing personal dramatic projects SHANTARAM (about a heroin addict who reinvents himself as a doctor) and THE RUM DIARY (adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's writings) may be sacrificed in favour of these high profile, huge money making epics.