Exclusive: First image of Ian McShane as Blackbeard in Pirates 4

First image of Ian Mcshane as Blackbeard in Pirates 4

Disney have given Total Film an exclusive first look at Ian McShane as Blackbeard in upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean sequel, On Stranger Tides .

McShane will surely be channeling his best Al Swearengen - the maniacal bartender he played in TV series Deadwood - to play the dreaded pirate, albeit without that show's salty sailor language.

The fourth Pirates outing sees Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow in search of the fountain of youth.

En route he tangles not only wih old foe Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) but old flame Angelica (Penelope Cruz), who happens to be the daughter of fearsome pirate Blackbeard.

The image is the latest in a flurry of new year goodies for film fans, hot on the heels of several other high profile summer releases.

Click the image above for the high res version, then check out the trailer below.

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is released May 18 2011.