Variety is reporting that the Gore Verbinski film PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 3, starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, will begin shooting on August 1, 2005. However, the production will not be returning to Grand Bahama–at least not during the height of hurricane season! Instead, the cast and crew of PIRATES 3 will be shooting in Los Angeles. Variety also confirms that Chow Yun-Fat, star of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON and BULLETPROOF MONK, will join the cast for the third movie. He will play Captain Sao Feng, a notorious Asian pirate. Working title for the third installment of the saga is PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: WORLD’S END.

The Zone thanks emma for the production update and sleepy for the news about Chow Yun-Fat. It’s a pleasure to have word that production on the sequels is resuming just as we celebrate the second anniversary of the release of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL. Captain Jack Sparrow sailed into multiplexes across North America on July 9, 2003–two years ago today. By this point next year, we should have seen the second Pirates film as well. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST is scheduled to be released on July 7, 2006.