Will Tim Burton Take on Pirates 4?

Now that those ridiculous internet rumors about Batman 3 have been completely debunked (says Batman screenwriter David Goyer: "It's all B.S."), what are enterprising fanboys going to spend their days speculating about? How about the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie! Cinemablend has learned through one of their "most reliable tipsters" (is there another kind?) that Tim Burton may direct the fourth Pirates movie, taking the reigns from Gore Verbinski.

But wait, there's more! After giving us Keith Richards as Johnny Depp's father in the third installment, the makers of Pirates of the Caribbean want Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow to have a brother this time around. Accordingly, it's reported that hopefully either Sasha Baron Cohen or Russell Brand would don the Sparrow family eyeliner.

We have to say, even for cynical Pirates haters like ourselves, this all sounds pretty darn exciting. Would Tim Burton directing a Pirates sequel make us more inclined to see it? Hell yes! As our esteemed colleague wrote yesterday, Mr. Burton's Alice in Wonderland is already shaping up to be pretty awesome (though we'd fantasy-cast Sam Rockwell in the role of The Cheshire Cat and not Jack Nicholson), and we know the director always brings out the best in Mr. Depp. Plus, since Mr. Burton is already making Alice for Disney, it would be very easy for him to go from one massive green screeny airplane hanger to another on the Disney lot.

We know, hold our horses. These rumors are about as probable as Cher playing Catwoman. But it is fun to speculate. What else is the internet for?