The long-discussed plans to have Rolling Stone Keith Richards appear in a sequel to PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL seem to be coming to fruition at last. Johnny Depp, who credits Richards as one of his inspirations for the character of Captain Jack Sparrow, told reporters during the Nassau press conference for CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY that Keith was eager to play a pirate; Johnny felt the film schedule for POTC 3 could be adjusted around the current Stones tour. Keith has been doing a press junket to promote the new Rolling Stones tour and CD. Asked about playing a pirate by CNN SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Keith replied, “I’d love to do it. I don’t mind giving up a couple of weeks of spare time for a laugh like that, you know? And so I told Johnny, ‘Yes.’ I mean, as long as they can sort out all the business.”

On the August 11th edition of EXTRA!, Keith praised Johnny’s interpretation of Captain Jack Sparrow: “I saw the movie and I thought, hey, he got me down pretty good.” Asked if he would appear in a POTC sequel, Keith told EXTRA!, “We’re up for it if the time could be found.” Grinning, he gestured toward his eye and declared, “We’re ready to put the patch on!”

Mostly, we think that means “Yes.” The Zone thanks Chocolat for the EXTRA! report and emma for Keith’s comment on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.