Gore Verbinski, who helmed the first three installments, has sailed off in another direction.
Director Marshall sidestepped the subject of his next project at the mass press conference for "Nine," but he confirmed to a few reporters that it would be, as rumored, "Pirates 4."
"I've always wanted to do an all-stops-out adventure film like this because I loved them so much as a kid," he said. "When this opportunity presented itself, I pounced."
Two things he will not bring to the Depp romp — as he did to "Nine" — are more plot and characters. The two previous "Pirates" movies were criticized for being densely complicated. "If I don't understand it, I can't direct it," Marshall said.
In the meantime, Marshall's "Nine" hits theatres in a limited release starting Dec. 18.
— Harry Haun
