First look at Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in the new Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales trailer

Jack Sparrow is back - and he's dirtier than ever.

The first full trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean 5 shows the CGI boating spectacle is definitely upping the ante.

Subtitled Dead Men Tell No Tales, the trailer teases some big changes: it's about ghost pirates this time, not zombie ones, as Jack Sparrow is pursued by the vengeful Captain Salazar, played by Javier Bardem.

With Salazar seeking to kill every pirate at sea, Sparrow has to stop him by finding the Trident of Poseidon, which gives the holder total control of the oceans.

Sparrow will be joined by other returning faces in Hector Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush) and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), who returns to the franchise after a one-film absence.

Newcomers include British actress Kaya Scoladerio, a wannabe academic and astronomer seeking the Trident as well, and Australian actor Brenton Thwaites as Henry, who is trying to break a curse that prevents him from seeing his father.

Notably, Johnny Depp is saved only for a brief appearance at the end of the trailer, which raises questions as to how involved he will be in the film's marketing.

Depp has not had a great run at the box office recently, with movies such as Transcendence, Mortdecai and Alice Through the Looking Glass bombing at the box office.

He also was accused last year by his ex-wife Amber Heard of domestic abuse, claims that have not been disproven or disputed.

Pirates is notable for being the catalyst behind the 'Pistol and Boo' saga. While filming the movie in Australia, Depp had his dogs illegally brought in, leading to an Australian minister threatening to have them killed.

Dead Men Tell No Tales is set for release on May 25.

- NZ Herald