So, I guess I can share this now…I was one of the filmmakers invited to pitch on PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 5. Things got pretty far along. We had an outline, concept art. Figure I might as well let some of it see the light of day.
My take had some similarities to DMTNT but was set to be a much larger reinvention of the franchise. We actually led with Jack getting chased into the Devil’s Triangle - but when he arrived there, the Triangle would send him somewhere really unexpected…Post-Katrina New Orleans.
We still had the offspring of Will and Elizabeth but in the form of a distant descendant named Mark Turner. He would’ve been a real estate lawyer who hilariously enough is as far from a pirate as you can get. Here’s some concept art some of the guys at WETA worked up for me: 
A lot of it was fun fish-out-of-water stuff with Captain Jack in a modern-day setting. Johnny pitched a great sequence set at Popeye’s. We were hoping Zendaya would sign on to play Jayma, a jazz singer that becomes a daughter-figure. Heres a storyboard from the Popeye’s sequence:
Our villain was a sea hag named Katrina. That’s right - she WAS the hurricane. Her goal was to “finish the job” and return New Orleans to the sea so that Atlantis could rise. She was a sister to Tia Dalma, which would’ve been cool because…
…an Act 3 reveal involved Jack learning that Jayma is his great-great-great…granddaughter. The ultimate result of a tryst between Jack and Tia Dalma. Which means she has hag blood - and is the key to stopping Katrina.
There was also a terrific sequence where Jack fought Somali pirates.
Happy to discuss this in greater detail if anyone would like to cover it. Lots of fun stuff in that pitch. Shame it didn't make it. @DanCasey hmu if you want an interview
I see you Terry
