Orlando Bloom is back as Will Turner in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" due for release in July 2017. His return was confirmed by Sean Bailey, President of Walt Disney Studios on stage at the D23 EXPO 2015.
According to the D23 EXPO official blog, Disney Legend awardee Johnny Depp had surprised fans when he came out on stage as Jack Sparrow in full character after Bailey's announcement. He appeared in the full candor of the legendary pirate — drunk and tossing grapes into the crowd.
Meanwhile, Bloom played Will Turner in the first three films of the "Pirate of the Caribbean" franchise. Fans had seen him in the "Curse of the Black Pearl" in 2003, "Dead Man's Chest" in 20016 and at "At World's End" in 2007.
At the end of "At World's End," Will took the job as the captain of the Dutchman, ferrying souls to the afterlife. He was bound to sail the sea for ten years, with only one single day to spend on land. In a post-credits sequence, Will was shown returning to Elizabeth Swan, played by Keira Knightley, and their son after ten years at sea.
The narrative of the fifth film might have this post-credit sequence as pick up point for Will's story. Bloom had actually hinted about his role ahead of Bailey's confirmation during the D23 EXPO.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" was shot on location in Gold Coast, Australia. Bloom was actually seen filming briefly on the location by the Gold Coast Bulletin. According to the site, Bloom had already spoken about his short role in the fifth installment.
Bloom initially said that he was "not really allowed to talk about it."
"But I will say I really have a small part in this next adventure. It was great to go back after so many years. It was an opportunity to reintroduce Will and to introduce you to my son," Bloom was quoted as saying by the Gold Coast Bulletin.
As previously announced by Disney via a press release obtained by the official Gold Coast website, Bloom and Depp will also be joined by Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbosa. Captain Jack and Captain Barbosa will face a new villain, Captain Slalazar, played by Academy Award winner Javier Bardem. Kaya Scodelario will also join the cast as the new character named Carina Smyth and Brenton Thwaites plays another new role named Henry.
As for the plot of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," Disney announced that Sparrow will be "thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar (Bardem), escape from the Devil's Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea...including him. Captain Jack's only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas."