Looks like the next Pirates of the Caribbean sequel has hit its first major speed bump. According to Variety, Gore Verbinski (who directed the first three Pirates films) has decided not to return for a fourth installment. The director informed Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer that he won’t be back for another go-round, most likely because he’d like to concentrate on other projects – like the big-screen video game adaptation of Bioshock.
So where does this leave Pirates of the Caribbean 4? Well, for the time being it leaves them with no director, and while the sequel is in development and expected to begin production in 2010 (for a potential 2011, 2012 release date), it hasn’t yet been greenlit. One imagines the first order of business will be to find a director who Johnny Depp approves of, since he’s the true star of the franchise. Tim Burton, perhaps?
It’s also no secret that Disney and Bruckheimer are busy putting the finishing touches on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. That will be the studio’s big 2010 summer release, and depending on how it does with audiences, the film could very well become the next Pirates-esque franchise. But does Disney put all their eggs in the Prince of Persia basket, or do they work hard to nail down this fourth Pirates film?
What do you think? Would you even want a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie?
