After years of false starts and delays, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales finally began filming in Australia yesterday. And that’s not a moment too soon for the franchise’s star, Johnny Depp, who hasn’t headlined a hit since 2011’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. So, this brings up two important questions. First, will a fifth Captain Jack Sparrow adventure resuscitate Depp in a post-Mortdecai world? Secondly, can new directors Espen Sandberg and Joachim Rønning inject new life into a series that ran out of steam two movies ago?
It's been three years since ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ was unleashed upon an unsuspecting populace, convincing even the most die hard fans of Disney's lucrative franchise that Captain Jack Sparrow needed to take a break. Maybe forever. And yet, these past years have been filled with rumors and casting and almost-casting for ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.’ Like it or not, this film is coming and now it has the young up-and-comer Brenton Thwaites in its drunken, slurred, overlong clutches.
Shocker! Javier Bardem is up for another villain role! After recently portraying Bond baddie Silva in 'Skyfall,' another major franchise wants him play its bad guy -- 'Pirates of the Caribbean 5.' He must have the face for it or something.
'Pirates of the Caribbean 5' was a done deal when the fourth film in the franchise, 'On Stranger Tides,' grossed over a billion dollars worldwide. But it was unknown who would helm the fifth entry. And instead of returning to original franchise helmer Gore Verbinski or 'Tides' director Rob Marshall, it was just announced that the job has gone to Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg.