Javier Bardem In Talks For PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

Swashbuckling fantasy adventure eyes its big bad…

Spanish actor Javier Bardem is, according to Heat Vision, in early talks to play the main villain in Disney’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.’

With Norwegian directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg (‘Kon-Tiki’) behind the camera, the fifth outing of the swashbuckling franchise follows the further adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp).

According to the site, Bardem would be playing the villainous Captain Brand, “a ghost captain who blames Sparrow for the death of his brother and is searching for a supernatural object to aid him.”

Bardem is no stranger to playing big screen villains, having won an Oscar for his spine-chilling performance in the Coen brothers movie ‘No Country For Old Men,’ and more recently his role as Silva in ‘Skyfall’ opposite Daniel Craig’s Bond.

While not officially confirmed, Geoffrey Rush’s Captain Barbosa is expected to return, as are Ian McShane as Black Beard and Stephen Graham as Scrum. Orlando Bloom and Keith Richards will likely make cameo appearances as Will Turner and Captain Teague, respectively.

Filming on the fifth installment is set to begin in February in Australia, with the film scheduled to arrive in cinemas summer 2017.