Ahoy Controversy: Could Keith Richards Tell-All Mean the End of His 'Pirates' Days?

By Moviefone Editors Posted Oct 27th 2010 03:30PM

UPDATE: A Disney spokesperson confirms that the rumors are completely unfounded and not true. They've also just posted this message on their Facebook page: "Fear not Pirates fans, we are happy to confirm that Keith Richards will be returning as Captain Teague in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, setting sail May 2011!"

Although Disney was able to look past Keith Richards' drug face long enough to invite him back to the 'Pirates' franchise for 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,' a new book penned by The Rolling Stones guitarist could prove to be too much for the family-friendly empire.

Richards' new autobiography, 'Life,' presents the musician's "trademark disarming honesty ... [bringing] ... us the story of a life we have all longed to know more of, unfettered, fearless, and true." In other words, he explains how the hell he survived taking all those drugs. If you're like most people, you probably just assumed his body was being preserved by the mass amounts of chemicals he ingested. Richards, however, explains that the secret was quality over quantity: "It's not only the high quality of drugs I had that I attribute my survival to. I was very meticulous about how much I took. I'd never put more in to get a little higher." But will his openness cost him the role of Captain Jack Sparrow's father, Captain Teague?

Richards in 'At World's End'

Drudge Report says that an entertainment insider has suggested "they very well could end up cutting Keith out of the new movie over this." Though the musician has struggled with sobriety on and off over the years, if these rumors are indeed true, then Disney may want to stick to cartoon characters for their leading men and women because most of Hollywood would be considered unemployable. Also, if the morality police are going to use drugs as the basis for kicking out cast members, then where do you draw the line? 'Pirates' shining star, Johnny Depp, doesn't exactly have a squeaky clean past -- sporting an arrest record for a paparazzi scuffle in 1999 and trashing a hotel suite in 1994.

Should Richards' be allowed to reprise his role of Captain Teague despite the juicy details of his new book? Or is this a case like the recent Mel Gibson/'Hangover 2' debacle, where the studio has the right to fire anyone based on their previous bad behavior and the negative attention it might bring?

Remember that Richards wound up in 'POTC: At World's End' based on Depp's use of Richards as an inspiration for the Jack Sparrow character .. a portrayal that won Depp an Oscar nomination for the first 'Pirates' film in 2003. Read More on Moviefone

Tags: keith richards

Comments

(9)

Wednesday 27 October

By Apostate

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Leave KR alone! Who better to convincingly play a haggard,fun-loving and fearless pirate in this franchise than...well,an ACTUAL haggard,fun-loving and fearless "drug pirate"?

By TheFeyNan

If Disney had been the publisher of this book, I doubt we would be discussing this topic. If Disney is smart they will keep him in the films and try and get the rights to make a movie of his book. I for one would Love both options. Keep Rolling Keith!!!!

By Chris

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Just a thought, but my guess is that "Disney", unless they have had their head under a rock for the past 40 years, probably already had some suspicions that he might like to "party" on rare occasions. And I'm sure, that if theses suspicions bothered them, that they wouldn't have allowed him to be in their film to begin with.

By Kelly Perkins

I am with ya, Keith! Don't Get His Ya Ya's Out!

By keith richards=cool

Right on Keith Richards! Hey..the man lived like a true rocker should, some people just talk chit...Keith lived it.

By Dee Dee

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Keith, All I know is that Disney better keep you! Let's not start talking about how Disney has some skeletons in their closet! If we were to open the closet, it would takes us years to clean it up! Keith! I love ya!

By gfiesta777

I think that everyone has at least one skelton in their closet from their past and if they say no then I say they are a liar and shouldn't be judging Keith or Johnny or anyone else. I love Keith Richard as Captain Teague and look forward to his return. Whatever is happening with Mel Gibson has nothing to do with them or this movie.

Saturday 30 October

By gkillacow119

From everything I've ever known about Keith Richards, he would be the first to tell young people to NOT do drugs. The fact that he was in a position to consume the enormous amounts he did is, I'm sure, due to the fact that he is incredibly financially secure. DUH. If he was some guy working in a factory or something, he'd not have had the money. That said, Keith Richards IS Captain Teague, and replacing him would be like having someone replace Capt. Jack Sparrow.....NOT! Maybe they could have Keith do a series of public service announcements, targeted towards the kids, saying they should NOT do what he did. THAT'S the smart use of his celibrity status.

Friday 12 November

By JBK

What's the problem? I doubt KR's book will be widely circulated among the Disney stepford set...Besides didn't pirates have a big appetite for rum??...Don't worry about it..."Pirates" and popcorn...Just lock up those liquor cbinets or abstain altogether.....Arrrrrr!

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