Will we still care about Captain Jack Sparrow in three years? While Disney doesn’t have a crystal ball, the studio is sure hoping that audiences will. Disney announced today that Pirates of the Caribbean 5 will not be out until July 2017 now.
A while back, Pirates 5 was scheduled for summer 2015, which would have been five years after 2011’s international smash On Stranger Tides. However, in September 2013, the project was delayed over script concerns and 2016 looked more likely.
Now, even 2016 is out of the question. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pirates 5 is scheduled for July 7, 2017. That’s six years after the last time audiences saw Johnny Depp in eyeliner as Jack Sparrow.
Of course, Disney can use its massive media machine to keep Jack fresh in our heads. The character is still seen at the parks in the ride now and also in video games and other merchandise. Plus, there’s more opportunities for Disney to release the first four Pirates movies on home video again.
Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, the directors behind Kon-Tiki, were hired to direct the movie back in May 2013. Jerry Bruckheimer is still going to produce, even though he’s left Disney.
Although On Stranger Tides had a rough time with critics, the movie still passed the $1 billion mark worldwide. Overall, the franchise has grossed $3.7 billion internationally.
image courtesy of Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com