Betcha didn’t see this one coming.

The Wrap is reporting that superstar Johnny Depp is close to signing a deal that would see him returning to the role of Jack Sparrow for the currently untitled Pirates of the Caribbean 5.

The news comes just as the fourth film in the franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, passed $1 billion worldwide in box office revenue, making it even less shocking than it was before the milestone was passes. The $250 million blockbuster only brought in $234 million domestically, but soared to just under $775 million overseas.

The Gold Box spotlight deal of the day over at Amazon today is the Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy on Blu-ray for only $32.99 (that’s 55% off the list price of $72.99).

Note, this sale is only for today, Saturday, June 4, 2011, until midnight PST, while supplies last.

This 7-disc Blu-ray set contains the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies — The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man’s Chest, and At World’s End — along with bonus features like audio commentaries, making-of and behind-the-scenes featurettes, documentaries, blooper reels, deleted scenes, and much more.

The Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook
A Swashbuckler’s Guide from Pirates of the Caribbean
Hardcover
By Jason Heller
Quirk Books
Release date: May 3, 2011

Yo ho! yo ho! A pirate’s life for me…

If a pirate’s life is actually for you, then you might want to pick up The Captain Jack Sparrow Handbook: A Swashbuckler’s Guide from Pirates of the Caribbean before you set out on the high seas in search of treasure and adventure.

In this new handbook from Quirk Books — publishers of other great guides such those for Batman, Superman, Indiana Jones, Worst-Case Scenarios, and more — author Jason Heller breaks down the pirate’s life into six categories pertaining to etiquette; maritime skills, myths and legends; booty acquisition; and most importantly, how to cheat death. Oh, and of course, how to talk like a pirate!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Disney’s latest installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, is out now in theaters, so it’s no surprise that movie tie-in merchandise has made its way into Disney theme parks. After all, the theme parks are where it all began, right?

Check out the video here below to see some of the Pirates merch, which includes pins and shirts, as well as a limited-edition Pirates-themed Disney Ear Hat. Also, at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Florida at the Pirate’s League, you can be transformed into a Pirate or a Mermaid, just like the characters in the latest film.

It’s safe to assume that if you’re balls Depp in anticipation to see Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, that you’re a fan of the previous three movies. You know exactly what to expect, and to that end you won’t be disappointed in the fourth relatively satisfying yet unspectacular entry into the Pirates film series. Despite the infusion of new blood into the franchise, almost everything about On Stranger Tides feels like seen, done, and argghed that before. This is not necessarily a negative criticism and by the time this is posted, Pirates 4 will have kicked out last week’s idiotic Priest to straight-to-DVD oblivion strictly based on the lines for midnight screenings and that no other movie is opening against it, unless you’ve been hankering to see A Beautiful Life at your local pretentious art-house theater.

Does it mean the latest installment of the Disney Cash Cow is a good movie? Good enough. I mean, it’s a Pirates movie and your expectations cannot POSSIBLY be that high, considering you sat through the convoluted mess of previous sequels and yet probably couldn’t pass a test on what exactly happened during the overly dense plot(s) of Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End.