14 DAY TRIAL // A few days ago, word got out in the media that Penelope Cruz was in talks with Disney for a part in the latest installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, “On Stranger Tides.” Her involvement in the project has not yet been confirmed – or denied for that matter – but fans should be happy to learn that at least the fourth film has a villain in the person of Blackbeard. Blackbeard will be played by Ian McShane, MTV can confirm.
Ian McShane is most famous for his part as foul-mouthed Al Swearengen in “Deadwood,” the highly acclaimed HBO series set in a town where only the law of the gun applied. Because he’s an actor that has well proved his worth, as well as his ability when it comes to portraying villains, having him cast in “Pirates 4” as Blackbeard is reportedly the best decision the movie studio could have made. Undoubtedly, McShane will look quite dashing in his pirate costume as well.
“The casting of Ian McShane as Blackbeard in Rob Marshall’s "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ is easily one of the greatest movie news stories of the week. McShane is a powerful actor and his scenes opposite Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz and the rest of the ‘Pirates’ cast are sure to be a major draw of the film. On top of that, McShane is assuming an iconic role in Blackbeard, a fierce pirate with a lot of interest, name recognition and history – despite boasting a short and bloody lifespan,” MTV writes, assuring fans that McShane is certain to add his own spin to the character.
“Clearly, Blackbeard wasn’t born as Blackbeard. Most historians refer to him as Edward Teach, though even his last name is subject to some debate. Additionally, his precise date of birth remains unknown, though it’s estimated that he was born around 1680. In fact, few details about Blackbeard are known prior to his emergence as a powerful pirate in 1717 – just one year before his death. […] Short though his career was, Blackbeard continues to be an icon in pirate lore and fiction – not the least of which is his role in Tim Powers’ novel ‘On Stranger Tides,’ the book that the upcoming ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film is based upon. The film won’t necessarily follow Blackbeard’s historical path, but with McShane at the helm, we’re bound to see a menacing pirate nonetheless,” the same media outlet says of who’s to be the villain of the film.
“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” starts shooting this summer and is scheduled for theatrical release on May 20, 2011. It stars Johnny Depp as Cpt. Jack Sparrow and Ian McShane as Blackbeard, while Penelope Cruz is also rumored to be attached. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, both of whom appeared as leads in the first three “Pirates” films, have decided to pursue other projects.