Aloha!

It's got to be good being Johnny Depp, seriously. The man is loved by film fans around the world, women adore him, he gets paid $25 million to star in a movie and now he gets to spend the summer in Hawaii dressed as a pirate. Some people just have all the luck!

The Governor of Hawaii, Linda Lingle, has announced that Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides will be shooting in the state and confirmed other news on the film, plus some details on a few other projects that are shooting in the area in the near future.

According to a press release, Pirates 4 will generate $85 million in direct and indirect spending in the state and employ hundreds of locals. That's a lot of booty, which is something that really must make the local economy feel giddy, especially in this time of financial hardship.

It's not the first Pirates shoot to take place in Hawaii. Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End filmed  Maui and Moloka'i. However, Nine director Rob Marshall replaces Gore Verbinski as the director, which is again produced by  Jerry Bruickheimer and written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. It's good to see Marshall still behind the wheel - even after Nine stiffed it at the box office. It's safe to assume that Pirates 4 won't be a musical.

While Depp is back as Jack Sparrow, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom aren't expected to return - but as we know, anything is possible in the world of Pirates of the Caribbean. Other details are few and far between, but I'd expect to see the effects in the film scaled back slightly after the huge wave of CGI that swallowed the series after the first installment.

The press release also sates that Clint Eastwood's Hereafter with Matt Damon was filmed in Hawaii (which regular Screen Rant readers may already know) and that George Clooney's The Descendants, which is set to be helmed by Alexander Payne, will also shoot in the state.

Check out a bit of the press release for Pirates 4 below (deck):

Pirates of the Caribbean 4

"Governor Linda Lingle today announced that Hawaii will be the location for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," the fourth installment of the highly successful Walt Disney Pictures' action adventure film series from Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

The Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger met with Governor Lingle on Friday to share the news that the islands of Kaua'i and O'ahu will be sites for the production of the feature film, which will begin shooting this summer and is slated to be released in summer 2011. The production is expected to generate an estimated $85 million in direct and indirect spending in Hawaii, providing a needed economic boost for the state's economy as well as creating hundreds of jobs for local residents. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" will star Johnny Depp, returning to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow.

"The Walt Disney Company has a great relationship with Hawaii that we're looking forward to building upon with the filming of the latest adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew," said Iger. "I thank Governor Lingle and her team for their tremendous support of the projects Disney has underway in this great state." "We've always sought out the most extraordinary and exotic locations for the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' films," said producer Jerry Bruckheimer, "and previously shot briefly on both Maui and Moloka'i for 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.' Hawaii provides an amazing range of both land and seascapes, and we're delighted to return for 'On Stranger Tides.'"

"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" joins a growing list of feature film and television productions slated to film in Hawaii this year. Warner Bros. feature "Hereafter," directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Matt Damon completed filming on Maui last week. Pre-production is also beginning for the feature film "The Descendents," starring George Clooney and directed by Academy Award®-winning writer/director Alexander Payne. The film is based on the book by Hawaii resident Kau'i Hart Hemmings. Several network pilots, as well as a Japanese drama series and a Korean drama series are also scouting Hawaii for projects this year."

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is slated to sail into theaters on May 20, 2011.

Source: Comingsoon