More cast members ponder Stranger Tides

As the summer shooting date for fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film, subtitled On Stranger Tides , edges ever closer, the cast list is about to double.

This Is England ’s Stephen Graham, and Sam Claflin and Max 'Son of Jeremy' Irons are all currently negotiating to take parts in the new sea-faring adventure.

Already signed are Johnny Depp, reprising the role of squiffy pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, Ian McShane as legendary rogue Blackbeard, and Penelope Cruz as his daughter, who will get Sparrow all hot under the collar.

Based on the novel of the same name penned by Tim Powers, this new flick finds puppeteer Jon Chandagnac heading to Jamaica to recover stolen money before becoming a pirate named Jack Shandy when his ship is attacked.

Whisked off to “dreamlike lands” by Blackbeard and vodun magicians, where the Fountain of Youth exists, Jack finds his life changed forever. But is it for the better?

The novel has been adapted by original Pirates film writers Terry Rossio and Ted Elliot. Hopefully they'll have learned from their previous two sequels not to over-egg the plotting. Expect more details on who this new trio of actors will be playing when they become available.

Graham as a pirate? We like the sound of that...

Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.