Here's an odd bit of casting news: According to a new report, Paul McCartney has joined "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" in a secretive role.

Deadline has the scoop that the former Beatle will shoot a special scene for the fifth entry in the lucrative "Pirates" franchise, though the details of his part are being kept under wraps. While principal photography for "Dead Men Tell No Tales" has already wrapped, Deadline reports that McCartney's mysterious role will be filmed "not [as] a re-shoot, but rather an extra scene," which is being described as "an extra big set-piece." The flick isn't due in theaters for over a year, so filmmakers have plenty of time to edit this new part into the rest of the finished footage, according to the trade.

We're not sure what could possibly have been written for Sir Paul that would encourage him to take on a high-profile acting role, especially in a film as action-heavy as "Pirates." While McCartney has popped up in cameo roles -- usually as himself -- from time to time over the years (including a bunch of appearances on "Saturday Night Live," and a bit on a live episode of "30 Rock" in 2012), he hasn't done much acting since his time in the Fab Four, when he starred in the Beatles flicks "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!" back in the '60s.

Then again, McCartney's musical contemporary, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, has already made his mark on the "Pirates" franchise (playing the father of Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow), so maybe Sir Paul wanted to follow in his fellow rocker's footsteps. Whatever his reasons, we're extremely curious, and we bet Disney is depending on that curiosity to draw fans into this fifth outing of the venerable action franchise.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" is set for release on May 26, 2017.

[via: Deadline]

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