• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Stuntman explains how they made iconic Johnny Depp Orlando Bloom sword fight scene so realistic

Home> Film & TV

Published 19:50 7 Nov 2022 GMT

Stuntman explains how they made iconic Johnny Depp Orlando Bloom sword fight scene so realistic

A Pirates of the Caribbean stuntman has revealed how one of the fights between Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom was made to look so realistic.

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

A Pirates of the Caribbean stuntman has revealed how one of the fight scenes between Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom was made to look so realistic.

As much as you think you're accurately replicating a movie fight scene as you prance around your living room brandishing your foam swords - or using a lightsaber if you don't quite have enough to go around - you're normally pretty far off.

You're even further off if you decide to try and replicate one of the fight scenes which takes place during the first of the family-favourite franchise, 2003 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl between Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom).

Stuntman for Bloom, Mark Wagner, has since opened up about the behind-the-scenes of the shoot and how one of the action-adventure's scenes ended up looking quite so realistic as it did.

Advert

Shortly after Captain Jack arrives in Port Royal, chaos ensues as he is quickly identified as a pirate by Captain James Norrington of HMS Dauntless - who has just proposed to Elizabeth (Kiera Knightly).

Jack quickly scurries off to hide, only to find himself in the blacksmiths and who should be the creator of such fine swords, but former - and soon-to-be returned pirate - Will Turner.

An epic fight scene subsequently commences, the two dancing around the workspace with hot irons and chains, as well as battling away with some pretty witty one-liners.

If that wasn't impressive enough, there's one part of the scene which notably adds to the rising tension, highlights the impressive nature of the slickly executed choreography and makes the fight even more realistic: the sparking of the swords as metal hits metal.

On an episode of Stuntmen React by VFX company Corridor Crews, Wagner has revealed exactly how such realism was achieved.

If you thought the realistic flints of light from sword slamming sword were purely a result of special effects added in when editing the footage, then think again.

Wager - who worked on the scene with Bob Anderson who was the double for Darth Vader - explained: "So, what's really cool about this piece too is they actually hooked these swords up to cables so that when they touched they would spark.

"So I had these cables running down my leg and Johnny had these cables running down his leg, and it would be like sparks, sparks, sparks, every one of those hits."

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl has since gone on to achieve a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 86 percent, and tomatometer score of 80 percent.

So successful was the franchise, a female-led spin-off is now reported as being in the works, starring none other than Barbie actor Margot Robbie.

Featured Image Credit: PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive / AJ Pics / Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: Johnny Depp, Film and TV, Entertainment, Celebrity

Poppy Bilderbeck
Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a freelance journalist with words in Daily Express, Cosmopolitan UK, LADbible, UNILAD and Tyla. She is a former Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

a day ago
2 days ago
  • MGM
    a day ago

    Gina Gershon reveals why role in steamy cult movie left her 'traumatized'

    Once panned as a flop, the ’90s cult classic gradually found its audience, and now Gershon is among those embracing it.

    Film & TV
  • Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
    a day ago

    Elijah Wood says he doesn't want anyone else to play role of Frodo as long as he’s alive

    It's said that he's reprising the role for 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum'

    Film & TV
  • Netflix
    a day ago

    When One Piece season 3 could release as ‘wildly impressive’ new episodes debut with 100% ratings

    Hopefully, fans won't have to wait as long as they did for season two

    Film & TV
  • NEON
    2 days ago

    Movie up for Oscars Best Picture 'deserved twice as many nominations' and is available to watch for free ahead of awards

    The film, starring Wagner Moura, has a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes

    Film & TV
  • Johnny Depp makes rare comments on Amber Heard trial and their relationship
  • Amber Heard makes unexpected admission about impact of infamous Johnny Depp defamation trial
  • Where Amber Heard is now amid ex Johnny Depp's return to Hollywood for the first time since their infamous trial
  • Johnny Depp finally addresses Fantastic Beasts 'recast' amid domestic abuse accusations