In a surprise from Disney the second major cast signing for Pirates 4 has been announced. The sidekick to Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow in the fourth film will be Zac Efron. Who you may ask, well, after a quick bit of googling he’s listed as “the hunk from High School Musical” which are their words, not ours. Apparently the actor told Disney he didn’t want to do another of the movies aimed at the tweenage market so to keep him under contract Disney has signed him to Pirates 4. While signed to play a sidekick it is planned that assuming the fourth movie makes enough cash he will replace Depp as the lead in a fifth.

While this is an obvious attempt to cash in on the High School Musical audience it may be unfair to criticize early the casting since we don’t know what role he will be taking or have any real measure of his acting talent. At least he is an actor where some movie franchises have taken rappers instead to play major roles just for the buzz, like Steven Seagal’s later movies for example. All we can say is good luck to the bloke.