Pirates of the Caribbean 4, the inevitably-mooted sequel to the first three films, has been on something of a hiatus since director Gore Verbinski bowed out in April in favour of Bioshock. But now it may be on again, with Variety reporting rumours that Chicago's Rob Marshall is close to signing on to direct.
Marshall is, of course, currently finishing work on his mega-musical Nine (not to be confused with 9 or District 9) starring a cast entirely comprised of Oscar winners/nominees and her from the Black Eyed Peas. But this could be next for him, since Disney is anxious to get things underway before Depp heads off to film The Lone Ranger, another film with Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
Without Depp, of course, there's no Pirates (or no Pirates we want to see, at any rate). No other cast are confirmed yet, but we're guessing we've seen the last of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, judging by the last film's coda. So perhaps this will be the sequel we wanted all along: one that focuses on Jack Sparrow being himself. If they decide to dispense with plot and just show him getting drunk in a bar for two hours, we're there with bells on.
Casting's apparently begun for new characters for the series, and if Marshall can control his urge to cue everyone for spontaneous tap numbers (or, heck, even if he can't) this could be a good choice. So what do you think? Can the man who made Chicago make a good Pirates movie? And bear in mind: before Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Gore Verbinski made The Weather Man and The Ring, so past form is no real guide here.