Disney has officially announced the beginning of production on Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in Hawaii, and with that announcement came a brand new plot synopsis for the film, which, up until this point, has remained somewhat of a mystery. We knew it had something to do with the Fountain of Youth and mermaids, but that was about it.
From the press release: “In this action-packed tale of truth, betrayal, youth and demise, Captain Jack Sparrow crosses paths with a woman from his past (Penelope Cruz), and he’s not sure if it’s love–or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past.”
This will be the first Pirates of the Caribbean installment to be filmed in 3D (though I’m still not sure how they’re turning it around so fast), and it’s also the first one not to be directed by Gore Verbinski. Instead, Rob Marshall (Chicago) is behind the camera, and so it should be interesting to see what sort of new elements he adds to the whole thing (like whether he’ll convince studio heads to throw in a musical number or two).
I’m pumped to see Ian McShane playing a pirate, and I can only imagine what sort of busty outfits they’ll be putting Penelope Cruz in. Throw Johnny Depp in the middle of it all, and we should have another fun pirate adventure. What do you think of the new plot? Will this Pirates film succeed with fans even though it won’t feature Orlando Bloom or Keira Knightley?
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is due in theaters on May 20th, 2011.
Erik is a leading movie commentator who has worked for outlets such as AOL Moviefone and Movies.com.
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