Walt Disney Pictures made a big announcement stating that the fourth installment of “The Pirates of the Caribbean” will be titled “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and to be released the summer of 2011. The subtitle “On Stranger Tides” is actually the title of a pirate novel written by Tim Powers. The books synopsis goes like this:
“Puppeteer John Chandagnac, bound for Jamaica to recover stolen money from his uncle, becomes Jack Shandy after pirates attack his ship and force him to join their crew. Shandy’s struggle to accept his new life grounds the story for readers, even as Blackbeard and vodun magicians whisk everyone away to dreamlike lands where the Fountain of Youth itself awaits. The chaotic sea battles sing, though at times key events happen so quickly that they get lost in the shuffle as Jack tries to comprehend where he’s going and what’s at stake. This dark fantasy tale will appeal not just to pirate fans but also to anyone who appreciates Powers’s talent for blending the most unlikely elements into a brilliantly cohesive whole.”
At the end of the third pirates film “At Worlds End”, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) has stolen back the Black Pearl from Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in search of the fountain of youth. This means the story for “On Stranger Tides” will tie in perfectly for a fourth Pirates film. This also means that Jack Sparrow and Barbossa will have the infamous Blackbeard as their adversary. So far this film seems like a fresh start from the downward spiral that the last two created for the franchise. The only people involved from the last three films that have signed on are Johnny Depp as Sparrow and screenwriters Terry Rossio and Ted Elliot (as well as producer Jerry Bruckheimer of course). Director Rob Marshall (“Chicago”) has replaced original director Gore Verbinski. It is still unclear whether or not Geoffrey Rush will return, but the last film hinted that he would have a role in a fourth film. Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightly’s characters however aren’t mentioned to be in the story, so they may sit this one out (thank god!).
