While “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie series. has given fans some pretty good examples of great tentpole fantasy adventures, the property has also produced diminishing returns both critically and commercially for years. Perhaps because of this, rumors are swirling about Disney’s attempt to once again recapture the lightning in the rum bottle.
According to AmountThe House of Mouse looks to none other than Johnny Depp for another wobbly walk in Captain Jack Sparrow’s boots. However, Depp is far from a lock at the moment. Disney dropped the actor like a hot potato in 2018, in the wake of Amber Heard’s domestic abuse allegations. However, the subsequent defamation trial ended in Depp’s victory in 2022, which may have made him more presentable in Disney’s eyes… though not necessarily the other way around.
As it stands, it appears the future of the “Pirates” franchise is at a Depp-themed crossroads. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is overseeing two different “Pirates of the Caribbean” screenplays, only one of which has room for Sparrow. As such, Depp’s potential involvement — should Disney be able to approach the actor, let alone secure his signature — will likely determine the direction of the next installment. “Nothing has been ruled out,” a source told Variety.
Pirates of the Caribbean remains Disney’s only successful attraction-themed film franchise
While “Pirates of the Caribbean” isn’t exactly riding the zeitgeist wave, and its most recent installment was 2017’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” it remains the most successful attraction-based Disney film franchise — and the only one that can be called a franchise at all . “Tomorrowland” failed at the box office, and while “Jungle Cruise” is a good enough adventure and “Haunted Mansion” is a surprisingly creepy affairthey both failed to make anywhere near the splash that “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” and its first two sequels did.
Captain Jack Sparrow is easily the breakout character of the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” film, and is so synonymous with the franchise that all five films to date have featured him in a central role, whether they actually benefit from his presence or not. The property has been so reluctant to explore its vast mythology and world full of colorful characters without Depp that despite the actor’s well-documented problems with Disney, it’s not the biggest surprise in the world to hear that the company would want to secure him for another turn as Sparrow. Still, regardless of what happens, the many scripts in development indicate that the public will be getting more “Pirates of the Caribbean” soon — whether or not Depp is involved.
