-By Ethan Alter

Jerry Bruckheimer has seemed to have his finger on the pulse of the moviegoing public since the early 1980s, when he unleashed a wave of box-office hits that included American Gigolo, Beverly Hills Cop and Top Gun. That sixth sense for what audiences want to see has led him to create some of the big (and small) screen's most popular franchises, from Pirates of the Caribbean to "CSI." Expectations are already high for his upcoming summer movies, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, and The Sorcerer's Apprentice, starring Nicolas Cage and Jay Baruchel. Small wonder that he's being given a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's ShoWest event in Las Vegas.

FJI: What's the primary appeal of ShoWest for you?
Jerry Bruckheimer: I think it's terrific for exhibitors to see what the studios' new product is going to be for the rest of the year. It's nice to get acquainted with them and find out what doesn't work for them and how they can make things better for us. I also like that they're giving me an award [this year] because it means we're making them money. [laughs]

FJI: Although there's been a lot of talk about declining theatrical attendance, it seems like all it takes is one big blockbuster to pull everyone back to the theatre. As someone with a strong track record of making popular spectacles, do you feel you've cracked the formula for crafting movies that appeal to a wide audience?
Bruckheimer: I wish there was a formula—I'd sell it and be in Hawaii right now. But no, there's no formula. You just try to develop material that you feel is fresh with interesting characters and themes and tell a good story. That's how the good stuff happens. When we make effective entertainment, we're going to have lines along the block. That's what Avatar did for our business. Jim [Cameron] is a fantastic filmmaker and has a knack for creating stories and epic entertainment.

FJI: Will either Prince of Persia or The Sorcerer's Apprentice take advantage of exhibition techniques like 3D or IMAX?
Bruckheimer: Neither movie will be released in 3D. I don't know about IMAX; I'd have to talk to the powers that be at Disney distribution. I think we're planning on doing it for some other films, but I'm not sure if it’s for Prince of Persia. In the end, it's always the story. If you can add some sizzle and pop, that's great, because it'll just bring more people in and give them a better viewing experience, which is what we try and do. We did do one movie in 3D, G-Force, and it did quite well, so I'm sure we'll be doing it again if the material lends itself to it.

FJI: Prince of Persia is your first videogame-based movie. Did it concern you that so many other previous videogame adaptations had failed?
Bruckheimer: Pirate films hadn't worked for a long time and we made a pirate movie. That turned out pretty good. [laughs] It's how you approach things; if you approach it in the right way, hopefully you tell a great tale. In the case of Prince of Persia, the game had an interesting concept that we liked a lot. The characters were exciting and there were interesting plotlines we could use. It's turned out terrific and we're very excited about it.

FJI: Is The Sorcerer's Apprentice at all connected to the classic Fantasia short of the same name?
Bruckheimer: It shares a title and we pay homage to it. We worked with a bunch of different writers and director Jon Turteltaub to create [an original] story. Jay [Baruchel] is someone I've worked with in television and we were fortunate that we thought this role was right for him. And I love working with Nic [Cage]. He's a very committed actor who can do just about anything.

FJI: Is there a specific aspect of the filmmaking process that you enjoy the most?
Bruckheimer: I think the editing room is a fun place to be. The shooting is really the director, even though you try to help through the process if there are problems. Working on the script and the casting are also a lot of fun.

FJI: What's next on your slate?
Bruckheimer: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is the next one. It starts shooting in June. We've got a bunch of things in development and hopefully we'll have something we can announce soon.

FJI: It seems like you try your hand at a different genre every year. Is there a kind of film you haven't attempted yet that you'd like to explore? A musical, perhaps?
Bruckheimer: We've dabbled in musicals. We made a little thing that wasn't considered a full musical, but it was called Flashdance. [laughs] Comedy is something we've done a little bit, but I'd love to do some more.

To read FJI's interview with Prince of Persia director Mike Newell, click here.