The fifth instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise will be filmed in Queensland, although the presence of A-list actor Johnny Depp is yet to be confirmed.

The Federal Government spent $21.6 million to secure the Walt Disney Studios production, with the contract having been signed yesterday.

The Queensland Government also offered an incentive package that included payroll tax concessions, although it would not reveal the total cost.

Queensland beat out several other Australian states and Mexico to host the film.

Pirates of the Caribbean film series The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) Filming locations: California, Mexico, Dominican Republic Budget: $140,000,000 (estimated) Gross: $305,388,685

Dead Man's Chest (2006) Filming locations: Bahamas, Dominica, California Budget: $225,000,000 (estimated) Gross: $423,032,628

At World's End (2007) Filming locations: California, New York, Utah, Hawaii, Bahamas, Budget: $300,000,000 (estimated) Gross: $309,404,152

On Stranger Tides (2011) Filming locations: England, Hawaii, Puerto Rico Budget: $250,000,000 (estimated) Gross: $241,063,875 Source: IMDB.com

Pre-production was to begin early this month, with filming starting next year on the Gold Coast, in Port Douglas and in other locations yet to be scouted.

It is slated to be released in cinemas worldwide in July 2017.

Premier Campbell Newman said the film, the largest shot in Australia, would inject $100 million into the state's economy and create thousands of jobs locally.

"Queensland leads Australia in attracting international film productions in the past financial year, and this project is another boost to the screen industry," he said.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said his council was the only one in Australia to offer film incentives.

"This shows that our film and television industry is becoming a long-term industry," he said.

"No longer do young people have to leave the Gold Coast for Sydney or Melbourne to further their career, they can do it right here on the world stage."

The last major productions to be filmed in Queensland were San Andreas, starring Dwayne Johnson, which employed more than 3000 Queensland crew, cast, contractors and extras, and Angelina Jolie's Unbroken, which employed nearly 3200 locals.

The new Pirates of the Caribbean will be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg.

Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley have all appeared in the famous film series, based on the Walt Disney theme park ride of the same name.

First Queenslander welcomed by Pirates crew

Screen Queensland CEO Tracey Vieira said the first Queenslander had already been hired for the feature film.

"I'm very proud of fact that the first person they hired once they decided to come here was the unit production manager, who was a Queenslander," she said.

"It really sets the tone that they understand that this is important to us."

Ms Vieira, who had been a part of negotiations since early March, said the Queensland Government's incentive package was based on the film's Queensland production expenditure.

"Very much Queensland cast and crew is part of that," she said.

Ms Vieira said they had worked hard to secure the deal ever since Mr Newman met with Disney in February.

"A couple of things that have to work for a film to choose where to go: One is it has to work creatively; if that doesn't work then there's absolutely no point in going to that location," she said.

"Second thing is it has to work financially. If we're the most expensive place in the world to film, certainly we're not going to be on their radar.

"They'll look at locations all around the world looking for those two things. We really worked on wooing them in terms of selling our locations."

She said the film's directors, producers, art director, location manager and visual effects designer had all been out to Queensland on scouting tours.