Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is certainly shaping up to be as silly (hopefully, in a good way) as previous installments in the theme park attraction-turned blockbuster franchise about buccaneers and their peculiar adventures at sea.

A number of respectable thespians are appearing in the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean, which will also feature a cameo by none other than Oscar-winner (and multiple nominee) Dame Judi Dench.

Dench won her golden statuette for her turn as the elderly Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love and is by now so practiced at playing highly dignified, refined characters (like M in the James Bond movies) that she could practically sleepwalk through such a role and still look classy. It comes as little surprise that, according to The Daily Mail, director Rob Marshall (who previously collaborated with Dench on the Fellini-inspired musical, Nine) brought the actress onboard to play a noblewoman in POTC 4.

On Stranger Tides reportedly starts off with a comical chase sequence - in the vein of a Charlie Chaplin comedy, no less - where Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) at one point hitches a ride on a carriage that is occupied by Dench's noble lady. Sharp-tongue Sparrow then quickly woos Dench (how's that for a visual?) before he dashes off, having robbed her blind in the process.

Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides Contest Trailer Online December 13

The new Pirates of the Caribbean revolves around Captain Jack's quest to find the Fountain of Youth and will include mermaids, King George II, as well as another appearance by Keith Richards as Jack's father, Captain Teague. Geoffrey Rush is reprising his POTC role as Captain Barbossa for On Stranger Tides, but Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley will (thankfully) not be back as Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan for this new high seas adventure.

POTC 4 is being shot in 3D and should feature lots of fast-paced action, goofy costumes, and impressive visual FX. So long as the plot is less convoluted and the screenplay is sharper than that of the film's predecessor, At World's End, this new cinematic trip with Jack Sparrow could be good fun.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides arrives in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D theaters in the U.S. on May 20th, 2011.

Source: The Daily Mail