There’s no question that fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise are strongly skeptical of director Rob Marshall taking over as director from Gore Verbinski on Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Marshall is best known as someone who makes popular musicals like Chicago and Nine, but not so much someone who can rock the action-fantasy chords.

Whether Marshall delivers us another great time at the movies or not, he is using his standing to sway possible new talents. The trades have heard word that Penélope Cruz — star of Marshall’s latest musical, Nine — is in negotiations to star in the fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

It is not yet known who Cruz would be playing in the movie, but it is likely to be some kind of Spanish lass who has stories to tell of a one Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp). One thing is clear for sure, however: she would be a conscious effort to replace the beauty and sex appeal that the departed Keira Knightley brought to the first three films. Since Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End was released, it was made clear that Knightley and co-star Orlando Bloom were ready to walk away from future installments of the series and move on to other projects.

As I said when Rob Marshall was announced as the new director — for those of you I mentioned above who are indeed worried — the one thing to remember is that the director also brought us Memoirs of a Geisha. No, it’s still not the same thing, but the costumes, locations, and overall production are what give me hope that this can all work. Rest easy.

With that said, does the casting of Penélope Cruz increase your level of excitement for at least one more Pirates of the Caribbean movie?

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides will be released on May 20, 2011.

[Source: THR]