It’s been a long road to production for the fifth installment of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The most recent film, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, may have been the least successful at the domestic box office, but with a worldwide gross of more than $1 billion, there was little doubt that the Mouse House would do anything it could to have Johnny Depp set sail once more.

With its eye on a summer 2017 release date, the new film – currently known as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales – will see Depp and co-star Geoffrey Rush returning for another high-seas adventure, under the direction of Kon-Tiki directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg. Now we have word of another new cast member that may be joining in on the fun.

According to The Wrap, Brenton Thwaites is in talks to play Henry, a British soldier, in Dead Men Tell No Tales. Thwaites has recently appeared in a number of high-profile releases, including The Giver and Oculus. However, it’s his role as Prince Phillip in this year’s Maleficent – another massive success for Disney – that no doubt helped land him a spot in one of the studio’s most lucrative franchises.

At this point, there’s little indication how his character will factor into the main plot, which reportedly centers on a vengeful ghost (likely played by Skyfall baddie Javier Bardem, though his involvement remains unofficial). It’s possible (likely?) that Thwaites’ character will serve as a more moralistic foil to the slippery Jack Sparrow, essentially fulfilling the role that Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner played in the first three films. If that’s the case, it could cast doubt on reports that Bloom will reprise his role for this film.

In any case, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is scheduled to begin production in Australia early next year. So fans should have a better idea exactly what to expect from the film – which will see longtime Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer onboard – in the coming months, as production nears.

In the meantime, how do you think Thwaites’ character will play into the ongoing saga of Jack Sparrow and company? Are you excited to see what Depp, Rush and the rest of the Pirates team have in store for moviegoers, or would you rather see this franchise sail off into the horizon? Sound off with your thoughts below.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales hits theaters on July 7, 2017.