It’s official, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales has started production. Johnny Depp will be coming back as Captain Jack Sparrow, along with a host of other pirates from the first four movies, for a new adventure inspired by the famous Disneyland ride. The film might be the last chance to keep the franchise afloat after the dismal reviews of the fourth film, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides .
According to Coming Soon , Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films will not be taking many chances with fresh actors. Johnny Depp will naturally star; Geoffrey Rush will return as Captain Barbossa, along with Kevin R. McNally as Joshamee Gibbs and Stephen Graham as Scrum.
All of the new characters should be recognizable from other big-budget blockbuster films.
Javier Bardem (the villain from Skyfall ), Kaya Scodelario (the main female character in Maze Runner ), Brenton Thwaites ( Maleficent ‘s Prince Phillip) and Golshifteh Farahani ( Exodus: Gods and Kings ) will have roles.
Behind the scenes there also a large number Hollywood veterans. Jerry Bruckheimer will be producing, and Jeff Nathanson ( Catch Me If You Can , Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ) will be writing the script.
Pirates of the Caribbean has gone from ghost pirates to Davy Jones’ locker to the fountain of youth, so what’s left for Captain Jack Sparrow?
The latest plot device will be the Trident of Poseidon, according to a press release on Cinema Blend .
“Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea… including him. Captain Jack’s only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas.”
Looks like Sparrow will have to take a break from his search for immortality, and concentrate on just staying alive for a while.
But can Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales turn the tide on the series’ gradually declining ratings and critic reviews?
The first movie in the franchise, The Curse of the Black Pearl , received a 79 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. For the fourth installment, On Stranger Tides , it was 33 percent , with each film between taking a gradual step downwards.
This fifth Pirates movie might well decide if the series will continue on, or if the franchise is officially tapped out.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will debut July 7, 2017.
[Image via wallpaperseries.com]