Pirates of the Caribbean 4 Rumors…Are Just Rumors

Are we sure Russell Brand can’t co-star as Jack Sparrow’s drunk brother in Pirates of the Caribbean 4?

Johnny Depp is getting paid $56 million to star in Pirates of the Caribbean 4? Tim Burton will direct? Russell Brand and Sacha Baron Cohen are co-starring? These are just some of the rumors flying around about the upcoming fourth movie in the franchise.

But the fine folks at ComingSoon found word from Pirates of the Caribbean series writer Terry Rossio and that word is “No!” to it all. Here’s the quote:

For the record, none of the recent Pirates 4 rumors have any truth, including the so-called record 50 million dollar payday for Depp.

Some pretty funny stuff, though. Sacha Cohen? Tim Burton? Studios are way too protective of their franchises for that sort of thing.

Oh, well. Let’s look at these apparently false rumors for a second: $56 million for Johnny Depp to star? It’s not my money, I don’t care what he’s getting paid. Tim Burton directing? Who thought that one up? What in Tim Burton’s career would lead anyone to believe that he would want to jump into the middle of someone else’s series and direct a PotC movie? Did someone hear that he lost a bet with Johnny Depp? Really. Sacha Baron Cohen? Yeah, sure, if Burton is directing and we’re making Sweeney Todd on the High Seas. Russell Brand? Okay, that would be fun. But alas, it’s not true…they say…for now… 

The only thing that’s locked in so far is that Depp is starring in the fourth Pirates movie. Keira Knightley has publicly stated that she would not be interested in doing another (she’s got enough 18th century clothes in her filmography). So can we start another rumor? Okay, here’s my completely random rumor: the cast of PotC 4 will include James McAvoy and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and Robert Rodriguez will direct. Why not?