Here’s to you, Mr. Bloom. You’re definitely done with the Pirates franchise, you made a notable splash in a notable Sundance flick (Mark Ruffalo’s Sympathy for Delicious), you have an intriguing indie (Main Street) in the can and have just been announced as the star of one more.

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This has been assumed for quite some time but not really confirmed or denied. Well, here comes the confirmation from the man himself. Orlando Bloom answered the question directly (imagine an actor doing that?!) at Sundance as to his involvement with the franchise, saying ‘no he wouldn’t be in it’ but he was confident for it’s future, considering the talent of Johnny Depp and musical-based director Rob Marshall.

See for yourself, courtesy of AICN:

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Sundance has announced it’s 112 films that are entering in U.S. and World Cinema Documentary and Dramatic film competitions. The films represent “38 countries by 43 first-time filmmakers, including 24 in competition. These films were selected from 3,724 feature-length film submissions composed of 1,920 U.S. and 1,804 international feature-length films. 79 films at the Festival will be world premieres.” The festival takes place between Jan 21st and 31st at Park City Utah. Some interesting films to note are Mark Ruffalo’s directorial debut, a new documentary by Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, It Might Get Loud) and films starring Jesse Eisenberg, Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman, James Franco, John Hamm, Melissa Leo, Laura Linney, Orlando Bloom, and more.  Check out the full list below. Read the full story

Even with his proposed movie version of Bioshock being put on hold due to budgetary concerns, Gore Verbinski remains a very busy man.  In post-production on his next movie Rango and with several other projects in development, he seems to be too busy for a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean.  Disney, however, wants this movie to happen.  This is where Rob Marshall comes in.

A story at Variety has pegged Marshall as being the director of the new Pirates movie.  Marshall previously directed the Best Picture winning Chicago and is currently in post production on his Daniel Day-Lewis 8 1/2 inspired musical Nine, and is now being courted by Disney to take over the franchise from Verbinski.  The story also says they want to begin filming before Johnny Depp begins filming Disney’s The Lone Ranger.  He may be the only returning lead, as both Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom said they will not return for a fourth installment.  Whether or not they change their minds and decide to return will have to wait and see.

To say I have no attachment to the Pirates series is an understatement.  I really don’t care for the first movie, go “meh” at the second one, and I’ve actually never seen the third one, because at that point I didn’t care.  News like this only further lessens my interest, with not having the original director or 2/3 of the lead team aboard, what’s the point?

What do you think of Rob Marshall directing a fourth film in the Pirates franchise?

According to Firstshowing Orlando Bloom is set to star in Andrew Niccol’s (Gattaca, S1m0ne, and Lord of War) sci-fi escape film The Cross. Bloom will be joined by Vincent Cassel and Bond girl Olga Kurylenko. The $24 million sci-fi escape story set in a border town, is about a man seeking to cross a mysterious border, something which no one else has achieved. Bloom will play the one trying to cross that border, while Cassel will play the guard who will go to any lengths to prevent him. Pre-production has already started and shooting will begin in July in Australia.

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