Jeremy here...
Given the last film's $1 billion-plus wordwide gross, there was simply no chance of Disney halting the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise. Sure, the film was panned by critics and largely forgotten by the poor schmucks who paid to see it, but it's a viable franchise, and, therefore, must be exploited for every last drop of profit.
The latest installment, DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES, will be directed by the talented KON-TIKI team of Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg (son of former Chicago Cubs second baseman, Ryne Sandberg), with Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Javier Bardem cashing paychecks. If that cast looks a little testosterone heavy, well, that's evidently getting fixed, what with Deadline's report that Kaya Scodelario is in talks to play the film's female lead. She's apparently best known for her work on the UK television series SKINS, but I've only seen her excellent performance as Cathy in Andrea Arnold's heartbreaking adaptation of WUTHERING HEIGHTS. She's good. Here's hoping this pays exceptionally well, and allows her to take on more interesting parts.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES is currently scheduled for release on July 7, 2017.
