RT has confirmed with some tight-lipped Disney PR associates that recent rumors speculating that Orlando Bloom's character would possibly be killed off in any future "Pirates of the Caribbean" spin-offs that might possibly be in the works are "completely unfounded."

A fourth "Pirates" installment has yet to be confirmed and the third part, "At World's End," is still in production, slated for a May 2007 release. But recent web rumors (really, are there any other kinds?) quoted Disney informants as saying that Bloom would be written out of any future "Pirates" sequels.



The possibility of a Bloom-less future does seem strange for the "POTC" franchise, in which his character Will Turner is, well, pretty central to the story. Then again, "At World's End" is supposedly the third and final installment of the series, as the story will take up where "Dead Man's Chest" abruptly left off, with Will and Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) teaming with "Curse of the Black Pearl"'s Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) to save Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) at the edge of the world.

Plus, the $225 Million-budgeted "Dead Man's Chest" raked in the dough worldwide to the tune of One. Billion. Dollars.

While the Orlando Bloom non-casting rumor was squashed by the publicists we spoke with, they could not confirm that a fourth "POTC" was even in the works. Or that Bloom would definitely be in, should any further sequels be planned. But for now, folks, rest easy knowing that the rumors of Orlando Bloom's potential non-involvement in the "POTC" future have been greatly exaggerated.

The Gore Verbinski-helmed "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" will swashbuckle its way into theaters May 25, 2007.