Source:Edward Douglas

September 16, 2007

Next month, Geoffrey Rush will be reprising the role of Sir Francis Walsingham in Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth: The Golden Age, the director's follow-up to the 1997 period drama which introduced much of the world to one Cate Blanchett. ComingSoon.net was given a rare opportunity to talk to the celebrated Oscar-winning actor who's no stranger to sequels and franchises, which spurred us to ask Rush for his thoughts on the possibilities of him and Johnny Depp returning for a fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. Even though some were disappointed with Pirates of Caribbean: At World's End, it has grossed $960 million worldwide, more than any other movie this year, so making a fourth movie must be something on a lot of minds.

"I think people will let it sit for a while," he told us. "There's a strange attitude about franchise movies. People look at them as that rather than storytelling. Back in the old days, how many Thin Man movies did William Powell end up doing? Probably five or six. How many road movies did Bob and Bing end up doing over 25-year period? There could be a point… because Jack Sparrow is probably now to a certain generation more well known as a representative of the Disney imagination than Mickey Mouse himself and Johnny's performance in that role is such an extraordinary thing… that it may pop up."

Mr. Rush also talked to us about how he thinks his character should make a return for the third movie in Kapur's "Elizabeth" trilogy, but for that, you'll have to wait for our full interview with the actor, sometime between now and the release of Elizabeth: The Golden Age on October 12. Also look for an interview with Rush's lovely Aussie co-star, Abbie Cornish, very soon.