Christoph Waltz And Rebecca Hall Swinging On Board For PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES?

There had been a bit of worry when Pirates of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales moved it’s release date from 2015 to 2016. Johnny Depp make a stir, when it was reported that his payday would include $100 million. Almost double than Robert Downey Jr.’s $50 million for Avengers. Sometimes it can be problem when the inflated budget becomes the focus of a project (Waterworld, John Carter). Luckily, the Pirates franchise has a loyal audience. Which helped On Stranger Tides become the highest grossing installment. Disney has hired Norwegian directors Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg to deliver the fifth film. Working with a script from screenwriter Jess Nathanson (Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull). A date hasn’t been locked-in. But it’s expected Pirates 5 will be released during the summer of 2016. We finally have some possible plot points and casting information. Be warned the character descriptions could be considered spoilers. 

A new report from TheDailyMail suggests that things are coming together. As casting for the film is underway. Disney is looking at some solid actors this time around and names you actually wouldn’t expect. They say that British actress Rebecca Hall (The Prestige, The Town) is being looked at to play Hector Barbosa’s daughter, Carina Smyth.  Her character is described as ,”called a witch by some but is really an adept astronomer”. Also, Austrian actor Christoph Waltz  is being eyed for Captain Brand. The villain of the fifth installment. A ghost pirate who wants revenge on Jack. Brand blames Sparrow for the death of his brother.

Waltz is best known for Oscar winning performances in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and Inglourious Basterds. He recently took a role in Disney’s Muppets Most Wanted. So that could be his connection to Disney. Rebecca had a role in Marvel’s smash-hit Iron Man 3 which might have put her on the studio’s radar. Hall is co-starring with Johnny Depp on the sci-fi thriller Transcendence. Christoph was linked at one point for a role in that film as well. Having the two-time Oscar winning actor on board as the villain give Depp a bit of help. However, Waltz is known for jumping into some crappy films as well. Such as, Paul W. Anderson’s Three Musketeers and Seth Rogen’s horrible Green Hornet. Depending on the script and directors, it could be good move on Disney’s part to cast these two. It’s possible that we’ll be hearing other names in the mix.

Keith Richards and Geoffrey Rush are mentioned as returning as well. Rush’s Barbosa is a staple character in the franchise and gives us nice breaks from Sparrow. Even though he can be just as much an ally to Jack as an enemy. He does add a much needed straight man to the cast.  Richards’ portrayal of Jack’s father Captain Teague, has been more of running gag than anything else. It doesn’t sound like Penelope Cruz or Sam Claflin (Catching Fire, Snow White And The Huntsman) will be returning to reprise their roles from On Stranger Tides. There had been some chatter that Orlando Bloom was interested in returning. That hasn’t surfaced in this DailyMail article and we haven’t heard anything more on it since.

SOURCE: THEDAILYMAIL