Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, directed by Rob Marshall and set to be released on May 20, 2011.

It was announced by Walt Disney Pictures on September 25, 2008 that a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film is in development, and that Johnny Depp has signed on to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow. Geoffrey Rush stated that he's going to reprise his role as Captain Hector Barbossa and is now preparing to shoot the fourth Pirates movie in the spring of 2010.

Casting
Johnny Depp previously stated that he would love to play Jack Sparrow again, but only if the script was good. On the 25 September 2008 Depp formally announced that he was signed on for the fourth film. Geoffrey Rush also expressed interest in playing the role of Hector Barbossa again and has also been signed on.

After filming for At World's End was completed, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom both announced that they were not interested in reprising their roles, as they wanted to pursue different projects, and they felt that the Will/Elizabeth storyline had gone as far as it could. It has since been confirmed that neither Bloom or Knightley are returning.

New cast members include Penélope Cruz and Ian McShane with the latter slated to play the notorious pirate, Blackbeard. On February 5, 2010, Mackenzie Crook, who played Ragetti in the films, has stated that he will not return.

Pre-production
According to Jim Hill's The Art of the Pirates of the Caribbean, the proposed story for the fourth film was for Sparrow and Barbossa to meet up in the newly founded New Orleans, before they sail to find the Fountain of Youth together.

Jerry Bruckheimer could be planning to enter the realm of Science Fiction this time around and it could be the heart of a new trilogy with Jack Sparrow and his crew of misfits. Some of the brainstorming going around involves some Jules Verne type of scenarios involving some pretty big flying machines, a man who wants to rule more than just the ocean, a encounter with the most famous and dangerous pirate of all, a race to get to a lost world, and Jack and his crew going to where no pirate has gone before. Apparently we’ll also get more of Jack’s past and his family, which could also mean more Keith Richards. This movie will come out in Summer 2011.

In September 2009, Dick Cook, Chairman of Walt Disney Studios, resigned after holding his position for over 38 years. The circumstances of his resignation are unknown, but most speculate he resigned due to his conflicting business tactics with CEO Bob Iger. Iger sought out "new ways of doing business", while Cook remained a traditionalist. After Cook's resignation, Johnny Depp's faith in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has somewhat shaken, with Depp explaining that "There’s a fissure, a crack in my enthusiasm at the moment. It was all born in that office". Depp also explained Cook was one of the few that accepted his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, claiming that "When things went a little sideways on the first Pirates movie and others at the studio were less than enthusiastic about my interpretation of the character, Dick was there from the first moment. He trusted me."

On November 15, 2009, Disney has announced that they would pay Johnny Depp $55.5 million to return as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Disney announced, on January 7, 2010, that Pirates 4 will be released on May 20, 2011 and will be filmed in IMAX.

Cast

 * Johnny Depp ... Jack Sparrow
 * Geoffrey Rush ... Hector Barbossa
 * Ian McShane ... Edward Teach Blackbeard
 * Penelope Cruz ... Character TBA