Zac Efron To Join "Pirates 4" With Johnny Depp

Not only is our young "High School Musical" star turning 21 this weekend, but it has also been announced that Zac Efron will be joining the cast of Johnny Depp's new "Pirates Of The Caribbean 4" movie.

Disney will be paying Efron an estimated $10 million for his role, almost twice as much as he pulled in singing and dancing with his fellow Wildcats.

A source tells us that Depp was not initially interested in another run as Jack Sparrow, and that Disney approached Efron to take over the helm.

After some intense negations, Depp agreed to return for another film for an enormous $55 million paycheck. This may be the highest salary every paid to an actor for a movie role.

But it is not like either one has to worry about losing their job.

Johnny Depp has six projects in the works. The first to hit the big screen will be "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus", starring Depp, the late Heath Ledger, Colin Farrell and Jude Law, in a story about a traveling theater company that gives its audience much more than they were expecting.

Depp is currently filming the animated family adventure 'Alice In Wonderland", a live-action and CGI version of the classic "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" story.

For his part, Efron will be seen later this month in the teen hit "High School Musical 3 - Senior Year", where as seniors in high school, Troy and Gabriella struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.

Related: Watch Zac Efron Get Punked On The Set Of HSM 3 - Video
Related: Vanessa Ann Hudgens Introduces New HSM 3 Music Video

Zac has also just complete work on the comedy "17 Again", due next April and starring Efron and Matthew Perry, about a guy whose life does not quite turn out the way he wanted, and wishes he could go back to high school and change it. He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets the chance to rewrite his life.
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Vanessa Ann Hudgens And Bobby Bones Caught Kissing - Photo

Look out Zac Efron; your High School Musical puppy love may be threatened. In fact, if photos are any proof, we'd say you have a problem.

Teen actress Vanessa Ann Hudgens was photographed making out with Bobby Bones last week!

Bones is currently working with Vanessa playing Gordy in the just completed music comedy "Bandslam", starring Hudgens and Lisa Kudrow with an appearance by David Bowie.

"Bandslam" tells the story of a high school outcast's bond with a popular girl over their shared love of music, and as a result create a rock band that tries to win their school's upcoming battle of the bands competition.

Hudgens has already completed work on "High School Musical 3: Senior Year", and just appeared on Jay Leno's Tonight Show to show off one of the hit musical singles "A Night To Remember".

Related: Hudgens On Jay Leno Shows Off HSM 3 Musical number

Zac Efron is putting the final touches on his teen comedy "17 Again" due next April, and starring Efron, Matthew Perry and Michelle Trachtenberg. The movie is about a guy whose life doesn't quite turn out the way he wanted it to and wishes he could go back to high school and change it. He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets the chance to rewrite his life.

It seems when the cat is away; the mice come out and play!
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Ashley Tisdale Introduces New "High School Musical 3" Video

For those "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" fans who can't wait to see the movie, you can rest easy because Ashley Tisdale has just released a new video from the film.

The actress introduces fans to a music video titled "A Night To Remember", as the characters prepare for their prom. All the usual suspects appear in the video, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Corbin Bleu, Chris Warren Jr., Monique Coleman, KayCee Stroh, Olyessa Rulin and Ryne Sanborn.

"High School Musical 3: Senior Year" is scheduled for release October 24, and finds our friends as seniors in high school, where Troy and Gabriella struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.

Watch The "High School Musical 3: Senior Year Video"

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Zac Efron Talks About Coping With Fame - Learning How To Act

Zac Efron became famous by playing young teen heartthrob Troy Bolton in Disney's "High School Musical" movies, but it has just been recently that Efron has developed a deep appreciation for both acting and the film making process.

Zac Efron, 20, told Teen Vogue reporters that he grew to care more about his business while staring in the movie "Seventeen Again", alongside Matthew Perry, about a guy whose life didn't quite turn out how he wanted it to, so he wishes he could go back to high school and change it. He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets the chance to rewrite his life.

Efron told Teen Vogue:

"It was hard to play someone that I couldn't relate to in the slightest, the director taught me a lot about the art of acting, which I hadn't been schooled in before. I've got a better understanding of what it means to be an actor now."

Efron has also gained an appreciation for older movies and a love for cinema while working on his current project "Me And Orson Wells", starring next to Claire Danes, about a teenager who is cast in the Mercury Theatre production of "Julius Caesar" directed by a young Orson Welles in 1937.

Efron's latest projects are a far cry from his teen idol roles in "High School Musical", and are showing the young actor is trying to break the mold of teen star. But the paparazzi still hounds him, and the actor rarely has a private moment. Zac does admit that sometimes he wishes he could be anonymous.

"High School Musical 3: Senior Year" opens October 24, and stars Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel and Corbin Bleu.

This third installment tells the story of seniors Troy and Gabriella, who struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.

Related Story: Watch Zac Efron Get Punked On The Set Of High School Musical 3
Related Story: Will Zac Efron Return For "High School Musical 4" After All?
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Will Zac Efron Return For "High School Musical 4" After All?

The legions of fans who follow Hollywood heartthrob Zac Efron have been in mourning for the last six months, as Zac and co-stars Vanessa Anne Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale have repeated over and over that "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" will the last adventure for the current cast of the successful Disney franchise.

But the rumor mill has gone into overdrive as word has leaked from Life and Style Weekly that Zac may actually play a role in the next sequel "High School Musical 4".

According to the popular tabloid magazine, Zac Efron may return as Troy Bolton in the next sequel of the movie sensation that made him famous.

Efron has been telling interviewers for months that HSM 3 would be his last, but celebrity gossip spies report that if there is a place for his character, and the price is right, he may make another appearance in HSM 4.

"Zac is thinking of a salary in the $8 million to $10 million range, but it depends on how "High School Musical 3" opens and how interested Disney is in wanting him back." a source told the publication.

So is Efron sending up a trial balloon in hopes that Disney snaps up his offer?

There have been concerns that after the current class graduates there may be little interest in forthcoming "High School Musical" movies, as viewers may not connect with the new incoming class.

But if Efron were able to still be part of the process, say as a graduate assistant or being hired as a teacher or drama coach for a year before he heads of to college, a story could be developed with Zac as a mentor for the new students. It would be a more adult role for the actor who may find breaking out of the teen idol mold difficult.

You never really know how things roll in Hollywood, but if Disney is scared that "High School Musical" may fade into history, what better way to try and stave off the decline then by keeping a hit star and key player around to draw in the current fans.

We suspect we have not heard the last of this rumor, and will keep you informed as to what we hear down the road.

Watch Zac Efron And Cast In "High School Musical" Interview


Related Story: Watch Zac Efron Get Punked On The Set Of "HSM 3"
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Watch Zac Efron Get Punked On The Set Of High School Musical 3

Apparently Ashton Kutcher is not the only prankster in Hollywood.

In fact, we hear that Zac Efron has been such a prankster on the set of his new movie "High School Musical 3 - Senior Year", that his fellow cast mates decided to gang up on Efron and settle the score once and for all.

It appears that Efron has been abusing his power with water balloons throughout the entire production of HSM 3, and fellow actors Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel and Corbin Bleu decided to get even - and they got it all on video!

Of course they had to realize the video would make it to YouTube and InfoStar, but we suspect that was all part of the plan.

The revengeful cast staged an elaborate covert attack with water cannons and buckets, and strung out over 100 rolls of toilet paper in Efron's on-set trailer.

The video below catches the entire stunt on tape. Enjoy.

Watch Zac Efron Get Punked On Set Of High School Musical 3

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