The long-gestating Pirates of the Caribbean 6 has taken on many forms since Captain Jack Sparrow last took to the seven seas back in 2017. Johnny Depp‘s legal troubles certainly blew a hole in the side of the Black Pearl when it came to getting another movie quickly greenlit which necessitated a change of direction for the franchise. Then, news emerged that Margot Robbie might be captaining the ship for a new take on the series but now it seems one of Disney‘s flagship series in heading for new waters.
Speaking with ComicBook.com, producer Jerry Bruckheimer stressed that the franchise was still on track to return but that they would now be bringing in a new cast to tell new stories, adding that he was unsure if Pirates or another legacy series, Top Gun, would return to screens first.
“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. “
A Brief History of ‘Pirates 6’s Stormy History
Following the release of the fifth movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, in 2017, discussions about a 6th installment began. The movie ended on a note that left room for further stories as the characters of Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), and Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) all appeared in a post-credits sting. Disney seemed keen to capitalize on that momentum, with Bruckheimer announcing the sixth film was in development with Joachim Rønning set to return as the director.
Disney then made moves by hiring Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick before the pair departed over creative differences, and at this stage, the movie started to be referred to as a “reboot.” Former Pirates writer Ted Elliott and The Last of Us co-creator Craig Mazin were then brought in at the end of 2019 for the reboot. By September 2023, Mazin stated his and Elliott‘s script had been purchased by Disney, and that production had stagnated due to the WGA strike.
Not only that, a female-led spin-off starring Robbie was confirmed to be in the works, having been announced in 2020. At different points, Christina Hodson, known for her work on Birds of Prey and Bumblebee, was reported to be involved in crafting the screenplay, but in 2022, Robbie stated the project was dead in the water. Bruckheimer countered later by adding that it would still be made but that a new Pirates sequel would still be made.
Stay tuned for details on any prospective Pirates movies.
via Collider