It was Disney day today and in an event held at the Kodak Theater, the company announced some of its gigantic upcoming projects including Cars 2, Alice in Wonderland, and The Lone Ranger, and what Johnny Depp has to do with most of them.

In Tim Burton’s upcoming CGI/3D/live-action (I’m not sure if anyone really knows WHAT it will actually be) take on the classic Alice in Wonderland story, Johnny Depp was long-rumored to be playing the Mad Hatter. Considering that he is now to Tim Burton what John Ratzenberger is to Pixar, we all knew this was likely and Disney confirmed today that Depp would indeed be taking on the role for his pal.

From what sounds like quite a spectacle, apparently the University of Southern California’s marching and came out, playing the Lone Ranger theme song followed by someone dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow wearing the Ranger’s iconic mask. When the mask was removed, it was Johnny Depp himself. Hmm, would have liked to see that one. At first, everyone just assumed that this meant that Depp will be playing the Ranger, but MTV has JUST reported that Disney reps are now saying he’ll be playing the Lone Ranger’s sidekick Tonto.

I have no idea what the hell is going on with this and it’s all very confusing, but we’ll keep you updated! To me it’s highly suspect; I think they’d be insane to use Depp for Tonto instead of the main man, but I don’t make movies, now do I.

While The Lone Ranger seems to be the big news, apparently Disney chairman Dick Cook mentioned throwing in some more Pirates of the Caribbean for good measure. That paired with Depp back in costume is causing a lot of buzz as to if it’s for real or if it’s just added for entertainment value? Hopefully we know soon if there will definitely be a Pirates 4.

Me… I think they’d be insane not to run with more of those movies and I’m quite fond of the idea to not worry about Will and Elizabeth and just concentrate on Sparrow and Barbosa and The Fountain of Youth. Then again, I’m one of the few who found all three movies to be incredibly fun.

In other news, everyone knows by now that a Cars 2 was planned a while back, but Disney has decided to move the film up from 2012 to 2011. No word on who will return or how the story will go (as much as I would like seeing more of some Pixar worlds, this one I feel is fine as one movie), but fans will at least get to see it a year earlier now.

[Source: /Film]