After sifting through several ideas to continue the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Disney reportedly landed back on its original breadwinner: Johnny Depp.
The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise performed exceptionally well at the global box office. Each film grossed over $650 million, and multiple entries crossed the billion-dollar mark.
Considering the monetary success, fans have wanted another installment following 2017's Dead Men Tell No Tales. After a variety of spin-off and reboot ideas, it seems all roads have led back to the original leading man.
Jerry Bruckheimer Has Script Ready For Johnny Depp's Pirates Return
According to Variety, Disney is ready to return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise with plans for a potential sequel.
After being accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife Amber Heard, it seemed Johnny Depp would never return as Captain Jack Sparrow and may have a hard time finding any work at Disney or in Hollywood.
However, he emerged victorious in the 2022 defamation case (which spawned a controversial Netflix documentary), re-opening the possibility of his working with Disney again.
Reportedly, Disney has not spoken with Johnny Depp about returning for Pirates of the Caribbean 6. Still, producer Jerry Bruckheimer is working on two versions of the script, one of which could incorporate Depp returning as Jack Sparrow.
In 2023, Disney Studios Motion Picture Production President Sean Bailey was asked about Depp's possible return for Pirates 6, noting that it was "noncommittal at this point."
Hope seemed lost in May 2024, when Bruckheimer told Variety that the plan was to "reboot" the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise when asked about bringing the crew of pirates back together:
"It’s hard to tell. You don’t know. You really don’t know. You don’t know how they come together. You just don’t know. Because with 'Top Gun' you have an actor who is iconic and brilliant. And how many movies he does before he does 'Top Gun,' I can’t tell you. But we’re gonna reboot 'Pirates,' so that is easier to put together because you don’t have to wait for certain actors."
Much has seemingly changed since these comments were made, considering Disney is now actively working on a script for a Pirates of the Caribbean film starring Johnny Depp.
While a reboot may still happen, it seems Disney has changed its mind about working with Depp again, which will likely bring a smile to many fans of the franchise and Depp's supporters.
