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Credit: DisneyAfter a rough few years, things have finally been on the upswing for Johnny Depp — who was recently featured in a Dior Sauvage primetime commercial spot after a massive win in his highly-publicized lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard — and has officially confirmed a return to his music career with the Hollywood Vampires.
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June 1, 2022 was a momentous date for Depp and his incredibly loyal fan base, as it was the date on which a verdict was reached in the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation lawsuit — the seven-person jury spoke and Depp won.
The high-profile $50 million civil lawsuit in Fairfax, Virginia saw a number of explosive accusations, from leaked text messages in which Depp and a close friend referred to Heard’s “rotting corpse” to psychological evaluations that allegedly exposed Heard’s multiple mental disorders. Public opinion is divided, with some believing Heard’s allegations of domestic violence and others fully supporting Depp’s continued — and vehement — denial of the claims against him.
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Among the most unfortunate ramifications of Heard’s 2018 domestic abuse allegations was the fact that the Edward Scissorhands star lost his most iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
The Gore Verbinski-led movie series was originally considered “doomed to fail,” but went on to become a five-film moneymaker for Disney, due largely to Depp’s portrayal of the Black Pearl’s Captain.
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Over the years, the series has also starred Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Swann), Orlando Bloom (Will Turner), Penelope Cruz (Angelica), Naomie Harris (Tia Dalma/Calypso), and Geoffrey Rush (Captain Hector Barbossa).
Now, amid ongoing reports that Margot Robbie could be out as Depp’s replacement, another article purporting that Depp’s return to Pirates is imminent has surfaced.
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This particular report, which is unconfirmed by The Walt Disney Company, asserts that “the studio has already penned up a draft for a film about Jack Sparrow so they are very hopeful that Johnny will forgive them and return as his iconic character.”
It is important to note again that neither Depp nor Disney have confirmed anything about the actor reprising his Captain Jack Sparrow role. Furthermore, Snopes recently dug into some of the recent reports that have surfaced online, ultimately concluding that there is currently no solid evidence that Depp is coming back.
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Nonetheless, the continued speculation has given fans hope that their favorite swashbuckler could return to the big screen in Pirates of the Caribbean 6. In fact, a petition for Depp to return to the franchise has reached over 775,000 signatures.
More on Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard
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If you haven’t been following the ongoing Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard case, in November 2020, Hollywood actor Depp lost his libel lawsuit against U.K. News Group Newspaper publication, The Sun, for their report that he had allegedly engaged in domestic violence — including a reported “hostage” situation during a Pirates of the Caribbean shoot in Australia — against the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom actress on multiple occasions.
British Judge Andrew Nicol presided over the original proceedings, and Depp later lost his right to appeal the original ruling in the United Kingdom. The Jack Sparrow actor, for his part, has denied the domestic violence allegations, with even his ex-partners, Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder, speaking out in his defense at various points in time.
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Depp has been fired from his two most high-profile parts — his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s Pirates franchise and as Gellert Grindelwald in Warner Bros. Fantastic Beasts series — as a result of the ongoing situation.
At this time, as noted, Depp recently won the duo’s $50 million U.S. defamation lawsuit. stemming from a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which Heard alleged that the actor had committed acts of domestic violence against her.
Currently, there are rumors that Heard has been recast as Mera in the upcoming Aquaman sequel, but this remains unconfirmed.
Do you want to see Johnny Depp return as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates 6?