‘Pirates of the Caribbean 5’ Cast, Updates & Rumors: Paul McCartney To Star In ‘Dead Men Tell No Tales’

Mar 25, 2016 01:35 PM EDT

New reports have confirmed that Paul McCartney has officially joined the cast of Disney's upcoming film "Pirates of the Caribbean 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales." However, it is not yet clear which character the Beatles bassist will be playing but according to recent rumors, he could be a big deal in the film.

News about McCartney's participation in the upcoming film was first reported by Deadline. The news site did not reveal any details about his participation in the film, but it noted that the production are currently working on a big set-piece scene for McCartney.

This piece of detail could provide clues regarding the nature of his character. For one, a "big set-piece" could point to a ship, which could mean that McCartney might appear as a pirate in the film. If this is true, then it would not be the first time that the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise cast a popular English rock icon.

After all, Keith Richards, one of the original members of the Rolling Stones, has already appeared multiple times in the series. Aside from playing Jack Sparrow's father Captain Teague, franchise star Johnny Depp also cites Richards as the main influence on his pirate character, Bustle noted.

But, if he will not be playing a pirate, then McCartney could end up as a high-ranking British officer, which could play well given his background and personality.

However, McCartney could also surprise movie fans by appearing as a monstrous villain. As a bad guy, he could either be a standalone villain or one of the allies of Captain Salazar, the antagonistic ghost pirate which will be played by Javier Bardem.

But then again, these are only speculations since neither McCartney nor the production team of "Dead Men Tell No Tales" have not yet released any statements regarding his character in the film.

As for the upcoming movie, "Pirates of the Caribbean 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales" is scheduled to premiere on May 26, 2017. Aside from Richards, Depp, McCartney and Bardem, the film's cast also includes Geoffrey Rush, Brenton Thwaites, Kevin McNally and Stephan Graham.

Orlando Bloom will also appear in the film to reprise his character Will Turner, who, after the events in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" was transformed into the new Davy Jones.