Rush in the dark over Pirates 5

Geoffrey Rush has revealed that he "knows nothing" about the fifth Pirates Of The Caribbean film.

The Oscar-winning Australian actor has played Captain Hector Barbossa in the swashbuckling films since the first movie in 2003, and he hopes he will reprise the role for the next instalment.

"The best part, for me, has been that the writers have managed to give an evolution to the character. He started out as this spat-out-from-hell villain who was the bad guy and an evil dude. And in the course of the subsequent films, he used those particular powers to become a politician, brokering a G20 summit of pirate lords," he told Collider.com.

Geoffrey, who won an Oscar for his performance in Shine, enjoys playing Barbossa because it doesn't feel like he's retreading the same ground with each film.

"In the last film, he went over to the other side and worked for the king. So, on that level, it feels as though I'm going into a new terrain each time, which is terrific," he continued.

"I believe, in the script that's being developed for the fifth film, they do it with great care and consideration. The writers and Jerry Bruckheimer, as producer, can't start a film like this... without knowing that the script is in good shape.

"You can't start shooting this sort of stuff, if there's holes in it. But, as to when it will go, I know nothing," he admitted.

Johnny Depp is said to be interested in reprising his role as Captain Jack Sparrow, alongside Sam Claflin.