Johnny Depp off for more adventures in "Pirates"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - In the next "Pirates of the Caribbean," Johnny Depp's seafaring character Jack Sparrow will face a woman from his past and board another buccaneer's ship, the studio behind the film said on Monday.

The Walt Disney Co revealed those story elements for the new film as it announced that production has started.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" is the fourth movie in the franchise, which to date has earned more than $1 billion at U.S. and Canada box offices. It will hit theaters in 3-D on May 20, 2011.

In the movie, Depp's popular Sparrow character will run into a woman from his past, played by Oscar winner Penelope Cruz, Disney said. She will force Sparrow onto the Queen Anne's Revenge, the legendary pirate ship run by Blackbeard, who will be played by Ian McShane.

Once on-board, Sparrow will need to keep an eye out on both Blackbeard and Cruz's character.

Both McShane and Cruz are new cast members on the latest "Pirates" movie, taking the place of head-liners Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.

Bloom, among other things, has a wedding on his agenda. On Monday, his representatives told celebrity news outlets the 33 year-old actor is engaged to Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Jill Serjeant)