Ian McShane to Star in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'

Feb 23, 2010 - Disney's moving forward on the fourth Pirates movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, with news of the potential casting of the major villain. Ian McShane, who's excellent at playing bad guys, is said to be close to signing on to play the legendary pirate Blackbeard in the next installment of the blockbuster film franchise.

The Hollywood Reporter says McShane is in negotiations to join the cast of the Rob Marshall movie. If the deal goes through, McShane would be starring alongside Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and Pirates newcomer Penelope Cruz.

The real Blackbeard (Edward Teach) caused terror on the high seas during the 1700s, commanding hundreds of pirates to plunder and destroy from on board his flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge. How that will play into the plot of On Stranger Tides hasn't been disclosed by Disney. The fourth Pirates film is thought to involve the Fountain of Youth.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is the first film of the franchise without Gore Verbinski in the director's chair. Pirates newbie Marshall's last film, Nine, was a major box office disappointment.