If I recall correctly, Perez Hilton got mixed up between DS and the Kathryn Bigelow film, for which I think Wahlberg's name was being floated around.  In general, don't trust Perez Hilton   

Also, Tim Burton is the master of the understatement and the deadpan attitude, and he is also often evasive. So don't worry if he doesn't gush too much- it's just his way.

I agree with MB that things seem right on track now for the DS film.  Of course, things could still fall through, but I think an April start date is about as specific as we could hope for.  I'm also not too surprised we haven't heard any casting news yet (other than Johnny for Barn, of course!) but I imagine that after the New Year, tidbits about the cast will start to trickle through.  

I'm a little divided on the theory of Anne Hathaway as Vicky Winters; overall, I really like Anne, but I actually personally thought she was the weakest link in Alice In Wonderland.  Not that I thought that Alice was one of Burton's stronger films, anyway, but I found Anne's performance to be distracting and off the mark.  If she is indeed cast in DS, I will just hope for the best!

As to what Johnny could possibly do with his time between now and April, that is a question that we fans are certainly asking ourselves right now     Some known/possible activities:

Tourist premieres and promotion (Dec.)
Rango premieres and promotion (Feb.)
Kathryn Bigelow film- I'm not sure if that's definitely ruled out, now, or not
Snow White (this is still just a rumor, but I haven't heard it debunked yet)
Keith Richards documentary that Johnny is directing- I'd like to see him use this time to get this done!
21 Jump Street film cameo- Johnny kinda sorta seemed amenable to doing this
maybe just spending some time with Vanessa and the kids?  

So there are some possibilities but we'll see if any of them come to pass.  As long as DS stays on track!

Cathy

Wow, great interview, thanks so much for sharing!  I've taken the liberty to give the link at the Depp forum that I participate in, and hopefully the word will spread to other Depp forums as well.  I've specifically included your request not to cut and paste the interview.  Jim's words sound very encouraging, and I'm psyched for this film!! 

(I only wish that *I* could also serve as a "consulting producer" for the film-- don't we all?!     )

Cathy

Oops, sorry for the double post, but I don't think this has been mentioned yet.  For what it's worth (and we know we must always take IMDb with a grain of salt!), DS has now been taken off of Johnny's "projects in development" list and is on his Filmography list proper, as "pre-production."  

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000136/

I know that's just a formality, but I always like to see changes in status  

(BTW I have no idea what's going on with that Snow White thing- it seems like just a rumor, but strangely, it hasn't been debunked yet.  We'll see!)

Cathy

B.Collins, it's not a stupid question.  At the same time, you have to take all the info that you get from IMDb, blogs, entertainment websites, etc. with a grain of salt.  Not all of the projects are real- many are just silly rumors, such as Johnny being The Riddler in the next Batman movie, which *still* keeps popping up.  Even when an upcoming project is real or at least a real possibility, you have to take into account that many are years in the future, so realize that his agent is thinking of his longterm career and wants him to have staying power.  Also, the agent would still be thinking of possibilities in case something falls through, as so often happens in Hollywood.  Johnny hasn't necessarily "signed on" for most of these possibilities, and the same is probably true of Will Smith, though I'm less familiar with Smith's career.  Finally, at least on Johnny's list, many of the titles listed on IMDb as "in development" are ones that his production company is developing, that he may serve as a producer on but won't star in.  His career as a producer is just beginning, and many of the titles that his production company has options to produce are just possibilities- some of them may never even get developed.  The same may be true of Smith, too- I don't really know if he does any producing.

As far as Johnny's titles on IMDb:

The Thin Man- sounds like he will produce and star, but this is years into the future- there isn't even a screenplay

Wild Roses, Tender Roses- this one is probable. He is a friend of the producer, Emir Kusterica, and was originally slated to film this in early 2011, but it was pushed back a year or so, in part to make DS filming possible

My American Lover- Johnny and his real life love, Vanessa Paradis, want to star in this, but it is probably a couple of years off. I don't think there is a screenplay yet

Caliber- it has been said that Johnny would only produce, not star in this one

Affected Provincial's Companion- ditto

Inamorata- ditto

Dark Shadows- well, hopefully it will film in April!  

Rex Mundi- I do think he wants to star in this one, but it's been in development for years, and I haven't heard any news on it in awhile.  It's probably still a few years off

The People's Act of Love- I think he'd produce but not star

The Lone Ranger- he would star in this, and it may come up fairly soon, as I think there has just been another screenwriter hired (similar to what happened with DS)

The 83rd Annual Academy Awards- huh?  I don't know why this is on there  

In the Hand of Dante- I think he would only produce, not star

Happy Days- ditto

Shantaram- yikes, he wanted to produce and star in this one, and it almost got started 2 or 3 times, but it is in turnaround now.  I don't know if this film will ever get made at this point, and if it does, Johnny may no longer be attached

Sleeping Dogs- this is the Kathryn Bigelow film that seems unlikely now that Johnny has a specific start for DS, but it doesn't seem to have been officially ruled out yet

To add to IMDb's list, Johnny is still planning to produce (and probably appear in) a Keith Richards documentary, which filmed in part early this year.  I don't know what the status is of that.  

Hope this helps, and hope it wasn't too much boring info.  Just wanted to convey that such a long list isn't really that long when taken item by item.

Edited to add-- wow, I just realized that IMDb has finally taken off that stupid Incredible Mr. Limpet rumor, which I have never seen or heard credible evidence for.  Thank goodness! 

One more point, since I guess I used up my chance to modify my post    Regarding delays, I don't think a couple of months is a big deal at all.  Perhaps Tim needs more time with Frankenweenie, or perhaps Johnny will shoehorn the Bigelow project in, after all.  Also, Johnny has a film (Rango) coming out in early March, for which he will probably have to make time to attend the premiere(s) and do press junkets and the like.  Or it could simply be a matter of arranging the studio, or other things that we don't even know about. 

I'm stoked!!   

I don't think I'll believe the Feb. start totally until it's reported in Variety or Hollywood Reporter, or comes from Johnny's or Tim's mouth.  That said, Nicki Finke, who runs deadline.com, is usually pretty accurate, and she has connections and gets a lot of inside info. 

In other words, Variety>>deadline.com>>Entertainment Weekly>>blogs or gossip mags.

keeping' my fingers crossed...