Even with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra ready to heat up the big screen this summer, Hasbro is not about to rest on its laurels: the toy company announced a Stretch Armstrong film, slated for a 2011 release.

One can only assume the somewhat recent onslaught of the "need" for Blu-ray comes only from a desire to have people buy films and television show sets over again.

Pirates of the Caribbean filmmaker Gore Verbinski has dealt the franchise a further blow - he's followed in the footsteps of Keira Knightley by pulling out of the forthcoming installment in the blockbuster series.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - After starring in two megasized Hollywood trilogies that have taken him from unknown to A-list (''Pirates of the Caribbean'' and ''Lord of the Rings'') Orlando Bloom is walking away from movies - temporarily.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Pirate films are almost as old as movies themselves. There was Douglas Fairbanks as ''The Black Pirate'' in 1926. Errol Flynn was ''Captain Blood'' in 1935. In 1952, Burt Lancaster became ''The Crimson Pirate.'' Thirty years later, Kevin Kline was the Pirate King in 1983's ''Pirates of Penzance.''

Johnny Depp delayed filming the final scene of Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End because he was reluctant to say farewell to his swashbuckling character Captain Jack Sparrow. The star - who plays the pirate in all three of the movies - insisted on re-shooting his last take because he had grown so attached to the role.

Keira Knightley is devastated upon concluding the final installment of Pirates Of The Caribbean movies, fearing she'll miss new "family" members Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. The 21-year-old actress, who plays Elizabeth Swann in the Gore Verbinski-directed trilogy, admits the cast became very close since shooting began back in 2002.

Keith Richards' appearance in the second Pirates Of The Caribbean sequel descended into chaos after he reportedly got so drunk on the movie set, the film's director had to prop him up. The hellraising Rolling Stones guitarist finally shot his long awaited cameo as Johnny Depp's father in Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End earlier this summer, but he is unlikely to remember the occasion.