Full Steam Ahead for Pirates of the Caribbean 4

The title of the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series has been announced: On Stranger Tides. The announcement was made by none other than the star of the film franchise, Johnny Depp, at Walt Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, E! Online reported.

Depp made a grand entry riding a giant pirate ship, dressed in his full Jack Sparrow costume and remaining very much in character throughout the event, thrilling the crowd of about 5000 fans. He was welcomed onstage by Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook, and together they made the announcement of the next installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean adventure. On Stranger Tides will be released in the summer of 2011, with the very capable writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer at the helm once more.

The fourth film will reportedly have Sparrow and Hector Barbossa meeting up in the newly founded New Orleans, and then setting sail together in search of the Fountain of Youth. While the full plot hasn't been revealed yet, it has been reported that they are casting aside Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann's characters and are making it more of a Sparrow-oriented movie. Keira Knightley has already stated she doesn't want to continue in her role as Elizabeth Swann as she wants to do other projects, but other cast members have not yet been confirmed.