Penelope Cruz in Talks to Join Johnny Depp in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES

Penelope Cruz is parlaying with Disney to join Johnny Depp to presumably drink rum and sail the unforgiving seas in the Rob Marshall directed Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, according to Heat Vision, which will revolve around the Fountain of Youth. The film will be the fourth in the ongoing cash cow franchise, based very loosely around the famous Walt Disney theme park rides at various locations around the world.

This will be the first time Marshall has directed one of the Pirates films, with Gore Verbinski holding that role for the first three. Marshall and Cruz previously worked together on Nine, which recently got her a Best Supporting Actress nomination.

For character details on Cruz’s role, the planned release date, and the writers, hit the jump.

Cruz, who won an Oscar for best actress in a leading role for Vicky Christina Barcelona, can hold her own in terms of acting. She will be asked to be every bit Depp’s equal in the secretive role, having worked with him previously in the drug-dealing drama Blow. With Keira Knightley being outspoken about her intentions not to return to the role of Elizabeth Swann, Cruz will likely be the sole female force in the film, and whether she will be more pirate or maiden has yet to be revealed.

Meanwhile, Terry Rossio and Ted Elliot will return to write for the film. Rossio and Elliot wrote the screenplay for the first three Pirates features. Jerry Bruckheimer will return to the franchise and produce Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which is set to lens in Hawaii in the summer with a planned May 20, 2011 release.