Pirates 4 is Based on Tim Powers’ Book. Kinda. Not Really, but Kinda.

You fancy book readers might have noticed that the title of the latest “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie, “On Stranger Tides” sounded a tad familiar, especially if you’re a reader of books by one Tim Powers. Well there’s a reason for that; Powers has now admitted that Disney optioned his 1987 book way back in 2006, but he had no idea they were planning to take the book’s basic premise and turn it into a “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie. And that premise? The pirate Blackbeard searches for the Fountain of Youth.

Says Powers about his book and the upcoming movie:

“I’ve watched all the movies several times, of course, and I think the clear thing they would use is the trip to the Fountain of Youth. My main character doesn’t overlap with Jack Sparrow at all [in personality or circumstance]; they’re totally different characters. I suppose they might overlap the Geoffrey Rush character Barbossa and Blackbeard. The only thing I feel certain they will hold on to is the Fountain of Youth since they telegraphed that at the end of the last movie.”

Besides Blackbeard, the main character of “On Stranger Tides” is a former British puppeteer named “Jack Shandy” Chandagnac, who falls into Blackbeard’s clutches and is forced to join their ranks. Blackbeard could easily be turned into Barbossa, the only other “Pirates” character that is being talked about returning along with Jack Sparrow. Rob Marshall is taking over the reins of director from Gore Verbinski.

Of course, this is all dependent on a “Pirates 4″ movie actually happening, which at this point is not necessarily a done deal, if Johnny Depp’s recent spat with Disney, and Disney’s retort that they might make more “Pirates” movie anyway even without Depp, are any indications. You gotta figure that Depp might not be liking what he’s hearing from Disney. Hollywood is all about ego, after all, and it’s not like Depp needs the money…

Hmm, to do a Pirates movie or screw Disney, that's the question.