Now that Pirates of The Caribbean 3 is becoming a distant memory in the summer blockbuster rush, Keira Knightley fans will just have to wait until the release of her next period drama, Atonement to get their fix. Keira Knightley Daily, is hosting promotional stills from the film, based on the novel by Ian McEwan. It centers on a young girl from an upper class family, with aspirations of becoming a writer, who falsely accuses her older sister's (Knightley) lover of a crime. What follows seems to be long-suffering love, class battles, and regret, all the things that make up a successfully weepy period romance. Oscar-winner Christopher Hampton adapted the book for the screen, and Joe Wright is directing. The cast also includes Saoirse Ronan, Vanessa Redgrave, and James McAvoy as the wronged man. This is the second project for Knightley and director Wright, having already worked together on Pride and Prejudice.

Knightley is also busy finishing up the Dylan Thomas film Edge of Love, and we recently received the somewhat wacky news that she was being considered to play Princess Diana. But since the producer of the Diana project has only made a low-budget horror flick, it seems a little far-fetched to imagine that Knightley would say yes. If you cannot get enough of Knightley's pout, there are also now plenty of new images online from Edge. When put side by side with Atonement's stills, they start to look a little interchangeable -- but at least this set of photos isn't going to spark off a round of litigation. Atonement is set for release in September in the U.K. with a North American release date set for December 7th.

It's not like there has been any shortage of promotional material coming from Disney for Pirates of The Caribbean 3: At World's End. Already there have been numerous promotional stills, sneak peek video clips, trailers, and a video game. But if you still can't wait, then you now have four new clips on Moviefone to tide you over. We get another look at Johnny Depp doing his best Keith Richards and setting off canons, Chow Yun-Fat in a double cross, a suitably salty Geoffrey Rush, and we even check in on the voodoo priestess Tia Dalma -- there is even a monkey, truly something for everyone. The one thing there is very little of is either Keira Knightley or Orlando Bloom, whose parts seem to be shrinking as the franchise goes on. In these four clips, they don't seem to have all that much to do other than stand around and pout.

While the story and plot seemed to elude even the people who worked on the film, with the sheer amount of clips and trailers, I can't help but think that by the time the movie has hit theaters there are going to be very few surprises left. Since producer Jerry Bruckheimer stated that despite all the talk to the contrary, this is probably going to be the film that wraps up this incarnation of the Pirates franchise, Disney seems to be sparing no expense to make sure that the franchise goes out with a bang, not to mention giving that web-flinger a run for his money at the summer box-office.

I was never very big on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney. There were way too many ARR! exclamations, rum refrences and drunk, hairy men for my tastes. However, the film was one of those times where I was entirely sucked into a movie, loving its life, its actors and its disregard for reality. While the second instalment was also mind-bogglingly successful, it was filler -- the chance to enter all the little bits of story in before the big wrap-up, without the cohesive structure ... although it did have one hell of a fun, rolling fight scene and the best taunting that I've seen in years.

Although pictures have been lurking on the web in recent weeks, Disney has finally released official stills for Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End that comes out five months from Christmas Day. If the pictures are any indication of the larger work, I think fans will be squealing in their seats. You've got Keira Knightley's Elizabeth Swann looking swanky and seeming perfectly comfortable at Captain Jack's right hand, and she's also the perfect inner strength for a Barbossa-Sparrow sandwich. And then, finally, Chow Yun-Fat looks right at home with Geoffrey Rush's stoic look and Johnny Depp's furrowed brows. Now the fangirl in me takes over, and I hope for Will Turner's swift demise, and for Ms. Swann to taunt the pants off Sparrow until she can't resist him any longer. ...

It seems you wonderful Cinematical readers can't get enough of those Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End news and pictures. (Really, neither can I) So, to help you out until the film hits theaters on May 25 of next year, we've got a few more pics from the film for you that just hit the 'net -- courtesy of Coming Soon (Via Filmz.ru).

These latest snaps feature the film's stars, Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush and the beautiful Keira Knightly, dressed in cool asian-influenced outfits and doing important things like standing, walking and staring into the distance knowingly. There's also one of Knightly in a rather attractive hat as well as one with her being really persuasive and making her point particularly well. I gotta say, I like the outfits. And nobody walks, stands and stares into the distance like Johnny Depp -- he's just that good. These images defiantly pique my interest for the next installment of the franchise.

If I had to guess at the origin of these pictures, I would say that a couple look like wardrobe and make-up stills for continuity and the others were most-likely taken with a cell phone camera during actual filming. Still, whatever their origin, these kinds of leaks (called "viral marketing" by marketing types) can only help increase the film's success when it comes out. Not that it really needs the help. Enjoy the pics. When we get more, you'll be the first to know.

The headline says it all but I'll try to add some semi-intelligent commentary of my own to spice things up a little. After all, that's why I get the big bucks here at Cinematical. Anyway, the very talented and exquisite Keira Knightley was interviewed this week by the UK's The Daily Mail while on the set of her latest film Atonement.

Among other things discussed during the interview was her work on the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise films. In the interview, she said definitively that her most recent appearance as the tough but beautiful Elizabeth Swann in Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End will be her last because she wants to move on to other kinds of films, as well as more adult roles.

"I've been playing this girl since I was 17," said Keira in the interview. "I'm 21 now and I'm onto very different things, but it's fun to try to invest Elizabeth with some rebellious spirit."

You can't really blame her for wanting to move on and do other things. After all, she is an actress who's shown a lot of range and talent in films like The Jacket and Domino, so it makes sense that she would want to put the Elizabeth Swann character behind her. Been there, done that -- three times. She's got a bright future ahead of her and whatever she does decide to do, I'll be watching.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End hits theaters on May 25th, 2007.

• Keira Knightly Online really must like the spiffy red coat Keira's wearing around Sundance (right), because they have a whole gallery of pics of her wearing it.
• Our friends over at GreenCine Daily have a great comprehensive list up of all the Sundance film reviews out there.
• Flavorpill Sundance scored a video interview with Destricted director Larry Clark. Wonder if he waxed eloquent on that whole sex with a bulldozer thing that had people walking out of his film?
• Perez Hilton has the scoop on how N'syncer Lance Bass caught his coat on fire because he got all excited about getting a glass sex toy at the Booty Parlor gifting suite. Sounds like a Sundance urban legend to me, but Perez swears it happened.
• Stella Daily, one of the crossword geeks featured in Wordplay, has a blog entry up about an up-close-and-personal meeting with Glenn Close at a screening of the film.
• U2s The Edge looks, well, very Edgy; the Police reunite at Sundance, but Stewart and Andy fail to get Sting drunk enough to agree to a real reunion of the band; and Chicago Tribune's Mark Caro gets screwed out of an exclusive interview with Jennifer Aniston and Catherine Keener and takes the high road, passing on the "5 reporters on 2 celebs" backup offer. Way to go, Mark!
• Latina Lista has an excellent run-down of the numerous films at Sundance and Slamdance dealing with illegal immigrants and border crossings.