The Black Pearl may soon sail again, and this time, Johnny Depp could be aboard. In a surprising twist, Disney is reportedly exploring the possibility of reviving the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise with Depp reprising his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow, as per a report put out today by Variety. The twist comes after years of uncertainty following the actor’s legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard, which led to Disney parting ways with the star. However, Depp’s 2022 legal victory in a high-profile defamation case has seemingly shifted tides in the Mickey Mouse Seas. The decision will ultimately lie with Jerry Bruckheimer, the super producer in charge of the franchise.
Bruckheimer, the architect behind the series which has grossed $4.53 billion worldwide so far, is currently developing two separate scripts for the next installment of the series, according to the report from Variety. According to sources, one of these scripts leaves the door open for Depp’s return, depending on whether Disney and the actor can rebuild those bridges that were quite spectacularly torched a few years back. While no official agreement has been reached, insiders quoted in the report said that “nothing has been ruled out,” but Depp remains immensely popular with fans despite the controversy and it would undoubtedly get eyes on the product if he returns to buckle some swash, as it were.
What’s the Latest on ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’?
Back in June, Bruckheimer spoke with Collider‘s Steve Weintraub and opened up on the two scripts he was developing at the time.
“We are working on it,” he said. “Jeff Nathanson is working on a script. We have another one… We have two, and we don’t know who’s gonna win the horse race at this point. But hopefully in the next month, I’ll have a script, and maybe Disney will want to make it.”
Following the 2017 release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, speculation about a sixth film in the series began almost immediately. The film’s post-credits stinger, featuring the return of original characters Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), and Davy Jones (Bill Nighy), left fans eager for more high-seas adventures but then it all went quiet after Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick left due to creative differences.
In 2020, a separate, female-led spin-off starring Margot Robbie was announced in 2020. Christina Hodson, known for her work on Birds of Prey and Bumblebee, was attached, but the project failed to get off the ground and as of 2022, Robbie believed it cancelled, although Bruckheimer later confirmed Disney‘s ongoing interest in Robbie‘s involvement.
All five Pirates of the Caribbean movies are currently streaming on Disney+.
via Collider