Johnny Depp is talking streamlining when it comes to On Stranger Tides, the fourth in Disney’s cash-spewing Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. While news of Orlando Bloom’s absence had me personally at ‘hello’, many others will be cheered by the news that, on this occasion, it won’t take two or three viewings to ascertain just what in the blazes is going on.

This is because, as The Deppster recently revealed to Empire, this adventure will be closer in spirit and content to the first film, The Curse of the Black Pearl, than its two sequels: “Pirates 2 and 3 became quite… sub-plotty. This one is a little closer in tone to the first: more character driven, more subject driven. It has a freshness. Less mathematics.”

Less… mathematics? Okay, JD, if you say so. The Bloom- (and Keira Knightley-) less high seas adventure will feature series-newcomers Penelope Cruz and Deadwood’s Ian McShane who we are hoping, as rum-guzzling, legendary badass Blackbeard, will be buckling some serious swashes. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is scheduled for release on 11 May.