British actor Orlando Bloom has confirmed he has quit the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise.

The Brit played Will Turner in the first three movies and bosses but he won't be a part of a planned fourth film, which will start shooting this spring in Hawaii.

Movie love interest Keira Knightley announced her "pirating days are over" in 2008, prompting speculation that Bloom would walk the plank behind her.

And now he has revealed he will not be starring alongside Johnny Depp in 2011's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

He says, "I think Will is sort of swimming around with the fish at the bottom of the ocean. I had a great time making those movies. I just really wanted to do different things."

But Bloom can't wait to see the latest Pirates sequel, which will be directed by Nine and Chicago filmmaker Rob Marshall: "I think it's going to be great. Whatever Johnny does, I think it's fantastic.

"I think he's (Marshall) an amazing director. I think it will be a very interesting fit, because Johnny is musical anyway and I'm sure that something really beautiful will come out of it."