The Black Pearl may soon sail again, and this time,Johnny Deppcould be aboard. In a surprising twist, Disney is reportedly exploring the possibility of reviving thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchisewith Depp reprising his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow, as per a report put out today byVariety.The twist comes after years of uncertainty following the actor’s legal battles with ex-wifeAmber 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 withJerry Bruckheimer,the super producerin charge of the franchise.
Bruckheimer, the architect behind the serieswhich 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’sSteve Weintrauband opened up on the two scripts he was developing at the time.
“We are working on it,” he said. “Jeff Nathansonis 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 ofPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, speculation about a sixth film in the seriesbegan 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 afterDeadpoolwritersRhett ReeseandPaul Wernickleft due to creative differences.
In 2020, a separate,female-led spin-off starringMargot Robbiewas announced in 2020.Christina Hodson, known for her work onBirds of PreyandBumblebee, was attached, but the project failed to get off the ground and as of 2022, Robbie believed it cancelled, although Bruckheimer laterconfirmed Disney’s ongoing interest in Robbie’s involvement.
All fivePirates of the Caribbeanmovies are currently streaming on Disney+. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on the Seven Seas, and remember, bring us that horizon.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) arrives at Port Royal in the Caribbean without a ship or crew. His timing is inopportune, however, because later that evening the town is besieged by a pirate ship. The pirates kidnap the governor’s daughter, Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), who’s in possession of a valuable coin that is linked to a curse that has transformed the pirates into the undead. A gallant blacksmith (Orlando Bloom) in love with Elizabeth allies with Sparrow in pursuit of the pirates.
