Javier Bardem has delivered a consistent flow of brilliant villainous performances. Look at No Country for Old Men (2007), and go no further than his portrayal as one of the best Bond villains (in my opinion) in Skyfall (2012). It is great to see he has now been passed the baton to play the villain in the fifth instalment of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Bardem plays Captain Jack Sparrow’s old nemesis Captain Salazar, a dead pirate with black ink spilling from his mouth at all times whose hair and long cloak are immune to gravity. Salazar – with his crew of ghost Pirates – has escaped from the Devil’s Triangle determined to hunt him down. The teaser trailer only serves to introduce us to the new character, who has captured another newcomer to the franchise Brenton Thwaites, who he questions about the whereabouts of Sparrow. Although the teaser gives little away, the dark tones and cloudy sky paired with the almost trademarked sound of the creaking wooden ship and the familiar music bring us immediately back into the unmistakable world.

The new film will revolve around Captain Jack Sparrow in search of the Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artefact which seems to be his only hope of avoiding death by the new gang. Familiar faces Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush and Orlando Bloom are joined by more newcomers Kaya Scodelario (Skins, The Maze Runner franchise) and Paul McCartney…?! The latest instalment of Walt Disney Picture’s fantasy adventure will be directed by Norwegian-born duo Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, who must have gained some sea-legs shooting Kon-Tiki (2012) together.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is due for theatrical release in May 2017, with a more divergent trailer to be expected around December. You can watch the teaser below.

Brenton Thwaites in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales