In an unprecedented event, The Walt Disney Company will air an exclusive look at this summer's action-packed spectacular "The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" 'roadblocked' across its owned-and-affiliated broadcast and synergy properties on Sunday, April 6 at 8:15 pm (7:15 Central), it was announced today (April 3, 2003) by Oren Aviv, president of Buena Vista Pictures Marketing.

The film, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, directed by Gore Verbinski, from a screenplay by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Jay Wolpert and starring Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and Jonathan Pryce, opens in theaters on July 9, 2003.

Commenting on the announcement, Aviv said, "No other company has used its assets to such an extent before. 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' promises to be one of this summer's most exciting action movies, and we expect viewers will agree that this film is one of the must-see events of this summer. We couldn't wait to share our first piece of film with as wide an audience as possible, and are extremely grateful to our corporate and synergistic partners for helping to make this happen." Bruckheimer concurred, "'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' is going to be an action-filled spectacular with groundbreaking visual effects -- and this first look is the best way to get the word out on this amazing movie."

From producer Jerry Bruckheimer comes the thrilling live-action adventure "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," starring Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, and Orlando Bloom, directed by Gore Verbinski from a screenplay by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Jay Wolpert. For the roguish yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp), the crystalline waters of the Caribbean, like the high seas the world over, present a vast playground where adventure and mystery abound. But Jack's idyllic life capsizes after his nemesis, the wily Captain Barbossa (Rush), steals his ship, the Black Pearl, and later attacks the town of Port Royal, kidnapping the Governor's (Pryce) beautiful daughter, Elizabeth Swann (Knightley). Elizabeth's childhood friend, Will Turner (Bloom), joins forces with Jack to commandeer the fastest ship in the British fleet, the HMS Interceptor, in a gallant attempt to rescue her and recapture the Black Pearl. The duo and their motley crew are pursued by Elizabeth's betrothed, the debonair, ambitious Commodore Norrington (Jack Davenport), aboard the HMS Dauntless. Unbeknownst to Will, there is a curse that has doomed Barbossa and his crew to live forever as the undead, where each moonlight, they are transformed into living skeletons. The curse they carry can be broken only if a once-plundered treasure is restored. Stunning visual effects bring these formidable foes to life as our valiant heroes clash mightily with Barbossa and his invincible pirates of the Caribbean.