Capt. Jack Sparrow will sail again!

Although reports of a fourth 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie have been circulating since last fall, it wasn’t until this past Friday that Disney officially announced that it is on their 2011 slate.

Richard Cook, chairman of Walt Disney Studios, was joined by star Johnny Depp at the Disney-centric D23 Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center. According to Variety, Depp, dressed as Capt. Sparrow, sailed onstage aboard a pirate ship, and subsequently announced Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides would arrive in theaters in the summer of 2011.

In recent weeks, there has been plenty of speculation about the plot and cast of the new film, which is being written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. Co-star Geoffrey Rush previously expressed interest in reprising the pirate Barbossa, while Keira Knightley has stated she would not prefer to return to the character of Elizabeth Swann.

Off-camera, Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) has replaced series director Gore Verbinski, and word is the new 'Pirates of the Caribbean' villain will utilize steam punk elements. There have been rumors the plot will involve New Orleans and a quest for the legendary Fountain of Youth.

Cook also announced Depp would be starring as Tonto in a new movie version of The Lone Ranger, although it is unknown if that will be released before or after On Stranger Tides. For a time, The Lone Ranger project, which Elliott and Rossio also worked on, had also been aiming for a summer 2011 release.