Penelope Cruz and Johnny Depp are headed for Cannes for the Saturday premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

The previous three films, which star Jonny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, have had tremendous success across the globe. In the official On Stranger Tides Cannes press release, film producer, Jerry Bruckheimer states, You understand pretty quickly that a message is being sent to you by audiences.

The third film in the franchise, At World's End, grossed more than $960 million (£590m) in 2007. The trilogy has brought in more than $2.6 billion dollars, worldwide.

Bruckheimer says that the world fell in love with the pirate genre, and especially with Depp as the character Jack Sparrow.

At this point Johnny is the most popular actor in the world, one of the best actors in the world, and certainly the most committed and hard-working, says Bruckheimer.

He's somebody you love working with because every day he comes on the set with a smile, ready to go to work.

Penelope Cruz, who stars as Angelica says of the film, I'm a very big fan of the first three movies and what Johnny did in those movies. This is a great adventure for any actor to be a part of.

It's an adventure every day; you can never be bored.

This is not the first time that Cruz and Depp have worked together. The actors starred together in the 2001 film Blow.

Directing the film is Rob Marshall, who also had previous experience with Cruz on the film Nine.

Choosing Marshall for the film's director was a choice that both Bruckheimer and Depp 'found themselves in compete agreement on.'

Marshall has previously directed Chicago, which won an Academy Award for Best Picture, followed by Memoirs of a Geisha, and Nine.

In regards to Pirates, Marshall says, I saw Penelope in that role immediately. I couldn't think of anybody else. It had to be an actress who could go toe-to-toe with Johnny and match him on every level.

There had to be a sensuality to the character, he says. There had to be humor, strength--a female pirate who is as smart . . . as Jack Sparrow.

On Stranger Tides will be released in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D. The film's release dates are May 20 in the US and May 18 in the UK.

WATCH THE OFFICAL TRAILER BELOW: