Ships Ahoy! 'Pirates of the Caribbean 5' Sets Sail for Australian Shoot
6:45 PM PST 10/01/2014 by Pip Bulbeck

Johnny Depp is expected to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the film, which will start production in February.

Pirates of Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the fifth film in the blockbuster franchise, will shoot in Queensland, Australia, with production set to get under way in February 2015, The Walt Disney Studios confirmed Thursday.

Australian Attorney-General and Minister for the Arts, George Brandis, welcomed The Walt Disney Studios' decision to film in Australia, after confirming the government had approved $18.9 million (AUS$21.6 million) in location-based incentives to the secure the shoot.

That $18.9 million is a one-off grant to the film, and is separate to other Queensland incentives the film will qualify for.

"This is a landmark deal with The Walt Disney Studios; this film will be the largest international feature film ever to shoot in Australia and will focus the world's attention on Australia as a leading film destination," Brandis said in a statement.

"Disney is pleased to be working with both the Australian Government and Queensland Government as we prepare to set sail on our next Pirates adventure," said Philip Steuer, senior vp physical production at The Walt Disney Studios. "Queensland has an incredibly diverse landscape and Australia's robust entertainment industry and many accomplished craftsmen will provide a fantastic home base for our production."

Its expected that the production will be based at the Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast and travel to to other locations in the state.

"We had a wonderful experience filming in Queensland some years back and look forward to returning," Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer said. "With its oceans, beaches, and jungles, Queensland has an incredible array of natural environments which are perfect for our new Pirates of the Caribbean."

The film is being produced by Bruckheimer and directed by Kon-Tiki directors Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg.

Disney has set a July 7, 2017, release date for Pirates Of The Carribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales after pushing back the original 2015 release.

Javier Bardem In Talks to Play Villain in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 5′
October 14, 2014 | 12:22PM PT Justin Kroll

One of Hollywood’s favorite bad guys, Javier Bardem, may take to the high seas as sources tell Variety that he is in talks to play the villain in “Pirates of the Caribbean 5.”

Johnny Depp will reprise his role as Jack Sparrow in the fifth installment of the Disney franchise with Jerry Bruckheimer producing.

Pre-production on “Pirates” is already under way in Australia, where the big-budget sequel will be shot. The film will bow in July, 2017.

Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg, who got their sea legs with “Kon Tiki,” will direct.

Sources tell Variety that Bardem is expected to play some type of ghost pirate who clashes with Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow. Early on in the process, the studio had also eyed Jared Leto to possibly take on the role but when that fell through the studio began to pursue Bardem.

Production will begin in January with the studio still looking for a young male to join Depp in what would be the equivalent of the Orlando Bloom role from the first three pics.

Bardem, who is repped by WME, can be seen next in “The Gunman” with Sean Penn.

The Wrap first reported the Bardem news.