Rupert Sanders & More On The Shortlist To Direct ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 5’

With “Pirates Of The Caribbean 5” simply an inevitability at this point — it’s already slated for a 2015 release, joining Disney‘s insane line-up that year — it looks like the studio wants to keep costs down. Surely, Johnny Depp will be negotiating a Robert-Downey-Jr-making-$50-million-for-The-Avengers sized deal and taking a cut of the back end, which means that in the director’s chair, a newer, cheaper face will be given a shot. So that means no Rob Marshall or Gore Verbinski, but perhaps one of these guys.

Deadline reports that “Snow White And The Huntsman” helmer Rupert Sanders is in the mix for the job along with Fredrik Bond (“The Necessary Death Of Charlie Countryman“) and “Kon-Tiki“ duo Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg. Of the options, Sanders obviously has the most tentpole-type experience, though Bond is apparently a favorite of producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Meanwhile, Oscar nominees Rønning and Sandberg are seemingly available, as their gig to direct the supernatural “Spectral” for Legendary Pictures apparently fell apart.

So: experienced dude, music video director or Oscar nominees — those are the options it seems, but it honestly doesn’t really matter. Disney isn’t going to be messing with the formula for a billion dollar franchise that prints money. They just need someone Depp gets along with and who can ensure he’s wearing the right amount of eyeliner.

Production will begin later this year, or in early 2014 to meet a July 10, 2015 release.