(Know why gay pirates never drown?  Because they’re flambuoyant!  Thanks, you guys have been great, don’t forget to tip your drag queens.)

One thing that always bugged me about Pirates of the Caribbean movies was, aside from all the chattering monkeys and ghosts and dancing skeletons and gay crap, why no dance numbers?  Thankfully, that may all change now that Rob Marshall (Chicago, Nine) is directing.

At a DGA screening of Nine, Marshall confirmed that he would be helming the Disney sequel. When asked what he would be doing next, Marshall responded “ya’know, it’s something that I was offered and never in the world thought I would do but then I was like ‘why not?’… I’m doing ‘Pirates of the Caribbean….”  Marshall also mentioned that he had met with Johnny Depp, and that they are both excited to work together.

The fourth film will be based on Tim Powers’ pirate novel On Stranger Tides which was optioned by Disney years ago. The plot of the novel:  Puppeteer John Chandagnac, bound for Jamaica to recover stolen money from his uncle, becomes Jack Shandy after pirates attack his ship and force him to join their crew. Shandy’s struggle to accept his new life grounds the story for readers, even as Blackbeard and vodun magicians whisk everyone away to dreamlike lands where the Fountain of Youth itself awaits. The chaotic sea battles sing, though at times key events happen so quickly that they get lost in the shuffle as Jack tries to comprehend where he’s going and what’s at stake. [/Film, AICN]

Well that’s great.  So many times when I’m watching two ships blast each other with cannon balls while pirates sword fight on the deck, I wonder, “This is great, but what of their existential ennui?”