With "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" gearing up for production with director Rob Marshall at the helm and Johnny Depp once again assuming Captain Jack Sparrow's off-kilter persona, some have wondered whether or not the other stars of the franchise are on board for the fourth installment.

During the Sundance Film Festival, MTV News caught up with actor Orlando Bloom and put that very question to him — but according to the actor, his days as Will Turner are over. Read more...

We spoke to "Nine" director Rob Marshall a couple of times towards the end of last year. He'll be the one helming "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," which everyone has questions about. Will it be a 3-D release? Where will the story pick up? Will stars Orlando Bloom or Keira Knightley return? How about Johnny Depp?

That last question seems to be the most prevalent one in the minds of fans. Fortunately, MTV's Josh Horowitz spoke to Marshall on the Golden Globe Awards red carpet and he got some of the first definitive answers on the subject of Depp and the fourth "Pirates" movie.

"We've now started, officially," he revealed. "I'm talking to Johnny and it's been great. I've been working already. I'm spending a lot of time with [producer] Jerry Bruckheimer. Learning this whole adventure of this... different genre for me, which I feel so at home [with] already." Read more...

After 12 years, "Titanic"'s status as the top-grossing film of all time is being threatened by director James Cameron's follow-up, "Avatar." Even if the movie's box office earnings fall short of the "Titanic" numbers -- two records, $600 million domestic and $1.8 billion worldwide -- there is little doubt at this point that "Avatar" will at least settle in at number two on both of those lists, effectively making Cameron king of Hollywood, if not the world.

Considering the length of time "Titanic" held its top spots, it seems unlikely that another movie could come along in the near-term to unseat either of Cameron's record-breaking films. Still, it doesn't hurt to consider what it would take to accomplish such a feat and which upcoming releases might have a shot at doing so. Emphasis on might here; personally, I think it's going to be a good long while before we see anything even approaching the performance of either of those films. Read more...

Nearly a decade passed between films for Albert and Allen Hughes—2001's "From Hell" to next week's "Book of Eli"—but don't think for a second the twin brothers weren't busy. They pursued a bunch of different Hollywood projects, and were pursued for many more. Two such films, as MTV News has exclusively learned, were mammoth Disney productions.

The Hughes brothers were approached to direct both "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" and "The Lone Ranger." Once Gore Verbinksi dropped out of the "Pirates" franchise in April after directing the first three films and before Rob Marshall signed on, the Hughes brothers met with Johnny Depp (their "From Hell" star) and Jerry Bruckheimer to discuss boarding the big screen flicks. Read more...

It's not news that "Nine" director Rob Marshall is set to helm "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." Or that he's got a fresh approach in mind when the cameras start to roll. As Marshall recently admitted to MTV however, there are still a number of decisions to be made.

"'Pirates 4' is in process as we speak. So they're still writing," Marshall explained. "I've heard a couple of exciting ideas, but they're still in process. My hope is that we'll be able to shoot it sometime in 2010." Read more...

FROM MTV.COM: When "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" was announced for a summer 2011 release, fans went wild. Then the project hit rough waters following the departure of studio chief Dick Cook, a big supporter of "Pirates" star Johnny Depp. The Jack Sparrow actor subsequently expressed hesitation about continuing with the series.

Still, the project sails forward. Depp's not a lock until he signs off on the script, which he hasn't yet seen, but Captain Barbossa actor Geoffrey Rush told MTV in late September that he's been told to keep his schedule open for cameras to roll next spring.

Continue reading 'Pirates 4' Director Rob Marshall 'Excited' To Work With Johnny Depp

FROM MTV.COM: The saga of Johnny Depp and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise has lately hit choppy waters.

After Disney studio chief Dick Cook — Depp's close creative partner — abruptly left the company, the actor said there'd been "a fissure, a crack" in his enthusiasm for the fourth "Pirates" film. On top of that, a new director, Rob Marshall, has come on-board to helm the film after three-time "Pirates" director Gore Verbinski set sail for other projects.

All of these developments cast doubt on the future of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," as the picture will be titled. MTV News had a chance to chat with Depp, People magazine's newly anointed "Sexiest Man Alive," on Tuesday night at the Museum of Modern Art's Tim Burton retrospective in New York, and the star revealed several key points. He hasn't seen a script. He's unsure of what the story line will be. And while he's keen to step into the boots of pirate Jack Sparrow once again, he stopped well short of making a 100 percent commitment to return.

Continue reading Johnny Depp Says He'd 'Love To' Return To 'Pirates Of The Caribbean'

Late last month, "On Stranger Tides" author Tim Powers confirmed that Disney does indeed plan to use elements of his book for the forthcoming "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." He didn't have much more to say about it at the time, but it was the confirmation fans had been speculating about since Disney dropped the bombshell at their D23 Expo that a fourth "Pirates" movie was incoming.

Now, Powers is apparently free -- or at least more free -- to discuss Disney's ownership of the rights to his book, published in 1988. "About a week ago my agent wrote and said, 'You're now able to say that in fact Disney did option the book,'" Powers told the Los Angeles Times in an interview. "That happened a while ago, it'll be three years in April." Three years means that Disney picked up the rights just as "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" was sailing into theaters. Read more...

Following the recent departure of Disney studio chief Dick Cook, Johnny Depp admitted to being less enthusiastic about returning to the role of Captain Jack Sparrow for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" ("Pirates" part 4, for those who lost count). And the fans in turn admitted that they'd give up on the franchise without him in it.

That apparently isn't stopping Disney though. According to a tip received by Cinema Blend, the studio is preparing to replace Depp if/when he decides to abandon ship. This may not happen with "On Stranger Tides," as Disney is likely prepared to offer him as much money as it takes to keep him aboard. The actor, who is said to be aware the last two movies "sucked," will definitely not be sticking around for the fifth and sixth installments if the tipster is to be believed. Read more...

Before news broke that Johnny Depp is considerably less psyched to step back into Jack Sparrow's boots for a fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" following the exodus of Disney studio chief Dick Cook, MTV News had a chance to chat with franchise co-star Geoffrey Rush about the developing project.

The Australian actor said he's definitely set to reprise his role as nefarious Captain Barbossa, and has been told to keep his schedule open for a possible start to filming next spring. Read more...