STAGE TUBE: Johnny Depp Announces New 'Pirates' Film at D23 Expo

To the happy surprise of the crowd, Johnny Depp sailed onstage upon a pirate ship at the Anaheim Convention Center on Friday to announce the upcoming fourth installment of Disney's "Pirates Of The Carribean" franchise.

Depp, dressed as his pirate alter-ego, Capt. Jack Sparrow, announced the news to about 5,000 fans at the Walt Disney D23 Expo. Depp will reprise his role in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, scheduled to hit theaters in summer of 2011.

Films featuring Johnny Depp have grossed over $2.2 billion at the United States box office and over $4.7 billion worldwide. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor three times, Screen Actors Guild Awards four times and Golden Globe Awards eight times, Depp won the Best Actor Awards from the Golden Globes for his role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and from the Screen Actors Guild for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Fans can join D23 at www.Disney.com/D23, all Disney Store locations within the United States, select shops at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, andwww.DisneyShopping.com/D23.

The name "D23" pays homage to the wonder and excitement that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his fledgling studio in Hollywood.

Through the years, Disney has captured the imagination of millions around the world, and, as requested by Disney fans everywhere, D23 gives them a greater, richer connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic.