The fifth 'Pirates' film is getting bumped out of its July 10th 2015 slot for an uncertain date probably in 2016. As for the stated reason, producer Jerry Bruckheimer blames "script issues", but one has to wonder if maybe this is just extended fall-out from his failed The Lone Ranger. We'd heard that Disney was looking to make some big changes on 'Pirates' by taking away Bruckheimer's control over the final cut and reducing the budget. So these script are part of the cost-cutting measures, as writer Jeff Nathanson works up another draft.
Meanwhile, our friends over at Bleeding Cool claim to have unearthed some plot details. According to them, there will be a brand new female lead for Sparrow to contend with. The central story will revolve around witches, and there will be a former member of the British military now a ghost seeking revenge along with Barbossa.
Disney hopes that by bringing on Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, who helmed the modestly-budgeted Kon-Tiki, will help keep costs down, but being frugal has never really been the 'Pirates' model before. Why would it start now? [THR]
