HENRY MORGAN'S COFFIN - T-ISLAND SCREENPLAY

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UNESCO and Blue Shield work together to protect heritage sites from looters, under the tenets of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in Armed Conflict 1954.

<<< SCENE 6.1

John Storm is pleased he was persuaded by Charley and Dr Roberta Treadstone to undertake this mission, that has turned out to be a remarkable salvage operation to conserve the remains of one of the most famous pirates in history.

EXT. CARIBBEAN SEA - DAY

The turquoise water is deceptively calm. The sleek hull of the Elizabeth Swann bobs gently.

INT. HELM - ELIZABETH SWANN - DAY

JOHN STORM (40s, capable, focused) stares intently at the ROV feed on the main screen. The image is murky, showing a small, raised structure on the seabed.

JOHN
There’s something odd here, that darker shading.

He maneuvers the ROV around the small structure several times.

JOHN
This is something not seen before. Small building. Can’t see it on the pre-quake survey. It shouldn’t be here.

HAL (V.O. - calm, synthesized)
The visibility is suboptimal, John. Sensor scans indicate a dense material composition. Perhaps…

JOHN
Yes, Hal, no choice I’m afraid. Trish, Dan, can you help me out support-wise? I’m going in.

DAN HAWK (20s, energetic, but visibly nervous) lets out a small gasp, his eyes wide.

DAN
Oh boy.

Cleopatra (PATRISHA LEOPARD) (ageless, beautiful, observant) turns to him, a slight smile on her lips.

CLEOPATRA
You okay, Dan? You’ve gone a little pale.

DAN
I’m fine, Trish. Just… a worrying flashback.

To when John dived to save Kulo Luna from great white sharks and ghost fishing net entanglement.

JOHN (impatiently)
I can guess what you’re thinking, buddy, but let’s concentrate on this one, shall we? I have a feeling we might be onto something.

DAN
Again.

JOHN
Yes, okay, again. But the hair is standing up on the back of my neck.

CLEOPATRA
Mine too, but not for the same reasons.

JOHN
Dan, you have the comms. Hal, Trish, relax.

John sprints out of the helm.

CLEOPATRA (to Dan, amused)
Just like a little boy when he’s excited.

EXT. REAR DECK - ELIZABETH SWANN - DAY

John quickly slips into a wetsuit. He lowers the steps to a diving platform. KATY (O.S.) the sleek ship's tabby cat, meows inquisitively.

Katy nimbly descends the steps after him.

JOHN
No, Katy, no fishing this time.

John gently lifts Katy and places her back up the steps.abby

KATY (meowing plaintively)
Meow!

John slips into the turquoise water with barely a ripple and submerges, a stream of bubbles rising. Katy watches from the top step, Cleopatra gently stroking her.

INT. UNDERWATER - DAY

John descends, checking his diving watch in compass mode. He moves slowly and deliberately, trying not to stir the silt. He approaches a small, distinct mound.

Close on the mound: John shines his diving torch on carved stone. The carvings are obscured by mud. He brushes away some of the sediment, revealing the letter ‘R’.

Above him, the ROV hovers, its powerful lights illuminating the area. John chuckles to himself.

He continues brushing, revealing ‘M’, then ‘O’, then ‘G’.

INT. HELM - ELIZABETH SWANN - DAY

Dan and Cleopatra watch the ROV feed.

HAL (V.O.)
Based on the letter sequence and the geographical location…

DAN
Morgan.

Dan relays their suspicion to Cleopatra.

CLEOPATRA
I could hear you without the comms, Dan.

Cleopatra is less enthused.

INT. UNDERWATER - DAY

John clears more mud, revealing the full name: MORGAN. His heart beats faster. He examines a small doorway in the stone structure.

INT. HELM - ELIZABETH SWANN - DAY

Dan watches the clearer ROV feed, wanting to record everything.

DAN
Gonna need to get this all on film. For Blue Shield.

John begins digging into the soft sand around the structure, but the silt immediately fills the excavated area.

INT. UNDERWATER - DAY

John shakes his head in frustration and ascends.

EXT. REAR DECK - ELIZABETH SWANN - DAY

John surfaces, pulling off his mask.

JOHN
I’m gonna need the airlift dredger.

DAN
Lucky it’s not deep.

Dan and John begin uncoiling a long rubber hose and connecting it to a large cylinder.

CLEOPATRA
Another one?

JOHN
Yes, please, Dan.

Dan hands John another length of pipe. They connect it.

CLEOPATRA
Clever, but what does it do?

John winks.

JOHN
And another, please, Dan.

They connect the third pipe. John throws the nine-meter assembly over the side.

CLEOPATRA (eagerly)
John, can I swim too?

JOHN
Of course. But Dan will have to walk you through some diving basics. Will you, Dan?

Dan nods, a slight pang of being left out on his face. John notices.

JOHN
I need you to keep monitoring progress onboard, if that’s okay, buddy. You can dive the site once it’s clearer, and I’ll buddy you. If Cleo doesn’t mind a stint at the helm. Meantime, there’s a lot of clearing to do. Time to sort a suit and aqualung for our time traveler.

Cleopatra beams, pumping her fist. Dan manages a smile. John slips back into the Caribbean Sea.

FADE OUT

>>> SCENE 8

ABSTRACT: Henry Morgan's death was on August 25th 1688 aged 53 from acute alcoholism. John Storm investigates target underwater areas using an ROV, then dives the site, coming face to face with Sir Henry's macabre skeletal remains. Then discovers secret compartment in his coffin, and interesting wooden engraving. Similar to National Treasure 2 and the Resolute desks.

Damn you for Villains, who are you? And, from whence came you? The Lieutenant made him Answer, You may see by our Colours we are no Pyrates. Black-beard bid him send his Boat on Board, that he might see who he was; but Mr. Maynard reply'd thus; I cannot spare my Boat, but I will come aboard of you as soon as I can, with my Sloop. Upon this, Black-beard took a Glass of Liquor and drank to him with these Words: Damnation seize my Soul if I give you Quarters, or take any from you. In Answer to which, Mr. Maynard told him, that he expected no Quarters from him, nor should he give him any.

PROLOGUE: ROYAL AFRICAN COMPANY - King Charles II, Royal Charter James Stuart II, transport goods from Africa: Bloody Triangle.

SCENE 1. THE BATTLE OF OCRACOKE - Lt Robert Maynard, Blackbeard's curse, beheading & torturous interrogation on the Adventure 

SCENE 2. EARTHQUAKE JAMAICA - Present Day - An earthquake hits Port Royal, disturbing the sunken city & Palisadoes cemetery.

SCENE 3. BLUE SHIELD ENGLAND - Blue Shield, Newcastle UK, UNESCO requests Storm catalogue underwater city UNEP World Heritage Site.

SCENE 3.1. SWASHBUCKLING - John tries out Dan's VR sword fencing program, then duel with real pirate cutlasses, Hal keeping score.

SCENE 4. HENRY MORGAN'S DEATH - Henry Morgan has a heart attack; funeral ceremony at Palisadoes cemetery, old Port Royal.

SCENE 5. SUNKEN CITY SURVEY - Present Day, Swann's sensors scan the ocean bed, revealing mausoleum former Governor of Jamaica.

SCENE 6. JUNE 1692 TSUNAMI - Jamaica, June 7th, an earthquake hits Port Royal, then a tsunami washes the pirate haven under the sea.

SCENE 6.1. GHOSTS BLACKBEARD & MORGAN  - Spectral figures cheer on John Storm as he searches Henry's Palisadoes crypt for clues.

SCENE 7. HENRY MORGAN'S COFFIN - John Storm & ROV, comes face to face with Henry's skeletal remains. Finds interesting wooden engraving.

SCENE 8. BBC JILL BIRD - London. John Storm's finds lost Henry Morgan's pirate remains. "And for those of you wondering, there was no treasure."
SCENE 9. OPERATION HISPANIOLA - British Geographical Society, & Royal Navy fund Lord Huntington's expedition to recover relics in the Caribbean.

SCENE 10. SHIP'S COOK - William Gray helps John Long's cut-throats to crew for Huntington's Hispaniola, Long a dab hand on the galley.

SCENE 11. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOS - Huntington (BGS bigwig) asks John Storm for help with shipwreck survey - meet in the Caribbean, Haiti.

SCENE 12. SKELETON ISLAND - Intrigued by map proffered by Lord Huntington, John agrees to switch attention to location, to coast of Panama. .

SCENE 13. SANTA CATALINA - Colombian, Mexican, Panamanian, Nicaraguan patrols re: 'Satisfaction' & hunt for Aztec gold, Spanish Conquistadors.

SCENE 14. TREASURE ISLAND - Hurricane Iota erased map clues, Isla Providencia. Longstride believes location of Blackbeard's/Morgan's treasure.

SCENE 15. KIDNAP - Black Jack & Billy Bones kidnap Dan, Cleopatra - lock in Hispaniola with Tremaine. Hal alerts John to events via BioCore.

SCENE 16. DOUBLE CROSS - Maynard pact with Spanish Navy to blockade Caribbean to capture John & Swann. Longstride deal Aztec Golden Skull.

SCENE 17. BLACKBEARD'S CURSE - John retakes Swann, Hal immobilizes Black Jack and Billy Bones and rescues prisoners on Hispaniola.

SCENE 18. MORGAN'S TREASURE SHIP - John deciphers carving code helped Dan and Cybercore Genetica. Dives to find privateer's shipwreck.

SCENE 19. BILLION DOLLAR DEAL - John negotiates with Panama, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador & Blue Shield for % salvage based on wreck video.

SCENE 20. BLOCKADE RUNNER - Swann navigates through Spanish Armada & Royal Navy blockade in stealth mode, invisible to radar.

SCENE 21. BERMUDA TRIANGLE - Pirates head into Bermuda Triangle, Colombian Navy in pursuit: BBC Sky News. Never to be seen again.

  JOHN STORM DISCOVERS HENRY MORGAN'S CASKET WITH SECRET COMPARTMENT AND CODED WOODEN CARVING - TREASURE ISLAND - BLACKBEARD'S CURSE & PIRATES GOLD

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