The folks over at The Wrap were the first to report that Bardem is in early talks to play the villain in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, but THR adds that the character is that of a ghost captain who blames Sparrow for the death of his brother and sets out in search of a supernatural object that will aid him. Christoph Waltz was rumored for the role at one point, but Bardem currently has the offer and is in discussions to sign on. Bardem’s wife, Penelope Cruz, appeared in the previous film On Stranger Tides.
THR adds that Dead Men Tell No Tales will feature a co-starring love interest for Sparrow, a woman who is accused of being a witch, and that Geoffrey Rush will reprise his role as Barbosa. There have also been rumors that Orlando Bloom might be making a return appearance as Will Turner.