In the news|April 02, 2015 10:58 EDT
'Pirates of the Caribbean 5' Delay Update: 'Dead Men Tell No Tales' Stalled Due to Depp's Surgery
Production for the fifth installment of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been delayed again in accordance to star, Johnny Depp's, recent hand injury.
Depp, who plays the lovable drunken pirate Jack Sparrow in the films, injured his hand while on location in Australia. He wasn't working at the time of his injury but the effects of the event were serious enough to send the star home on March 10 for surgery.
The Sydney Morning Herald said, "About half of the film's estimated 400 crew were told on Thursday there would be no more work for at least two weeks. Those who are in rented accommodation provided by the production have been told they can continue to use it in the interim, and they will be able to use accrued leave and entitlements to cover some of the income shortfall ahead of a scheduled resumption of production on April 15."
This is the second time production for the film has been delayed. In February, Tropical Cyclone Nathan pushed the crew back merely days after the crew started filming.
Mal Tulloch, director of entertainment crew and sport for the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance said that they were not concerned at this stage that the production would not happen.
"They've tried to keep it going in his absence - it's not like a Fast and Furious situation, where the star has died - but they've reached the pinch point," the director said.
The 51-year-old actor is expected to return to Australia in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile the crew will continue to do as much as they can without Depp.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is scheduled for a 2017 theatrical release.