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Credit: DisneyJohnny Depp’s return as Captain Jack Sparrow in future Pirates of the Caribbean installments will cost The Walt Disney Company a fortune.
It’s been a long time since actor Johnny Depp has donned the pirate garb and stepped onto the big screen as Captain Jack Sparrow. First appearing 20 years ago in The Walt Disney Company and producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Depp’s Jack Sparrow has gone on to become one of the most recognized and beloved characters in cinema.
Despite Disney’s caution over casting Depp and their worries about his take on the role, the Hollywood star’s appearance in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise became his most commercial project to date, spawning four sequels — Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2010), and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017). He starred alongside Kiera Knightley (Elizabeth Swann) and Orlando Bloom (Will Turner) in many of the movies.
As one of Hollywood’s top-paid actors, Depp’s salary for the Pirates movies was in the multi-millions. To this day, Jack Sparrow is a hugely popular character and is often cited as Depp’s best.
His tenure as Captain Jack Sparrow would change in recent years after a slew of legal troubles plagued the actor.
From the libel trial at London’s High Court to the highly-publicized defamation lawsuit in Fairfax County, Virginia, the court cases left him exiled from Hollywood and out of his role as Jack Sparrow, as well as his role as the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in Warner Bros.’s Fantastic Beasts franchise from Harry Potter creator, J.K. Rowling.
Both stemming from his relationship, marriage, and divorce from fellow actor Amber Heard, whom he met on the set of The Rum Diary (2011), Depp’s legal battles spanned years and continents, centering around allegations of domestic violence.
The July 2020 libel trial in the United Kingdom came after British newspaper The Sun wrote that Depp was a “wife-beater.” Both Depp and Heard testified in front of Justice Andrew Nicol at the London High Court, with Depp losing the case after the judge found many of the claims of domestic abuse “substantially true.”
Depp lost his appeal request in 2021 and last year faced Heard again in the courtroom, except this time in the United States. This defamation lawsuit came as a result of Heard penning an Op-Ed in The Washington Post about her being a victim of domestic and sexual violence. Depp sued for $50 million, with Heard countersuing for $100 million.
After six weeks under the jurisdiction of Judge Penney Azcarate, the jury found Heard had, in fact, defamed the Pirates of the Caribbean actor, awarding him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. This was lowered to $350,000 per Virginia state law. On the other hand, Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages and no punitive damages.
Related: Disney’s New “‘Pirates of the Caribbean’” Franchise Scrapped, Report Says
Throughout the defamation trial, Depp’s role in the swashbuckling Disney franchise came under scrutiny, as did Heard’s role in the Warner Bros. DC Extended Universe.
During the defamation trial, Depp was asked by Heard’s lawyer, Ben Rottenborn, about his position on returning to Pirates. “The fact is, Mr. Depp if Disney came to you with $300 million and a million alpacas, nothing on this earth would get you to go back and work with Disney on a Pirates of the Caribbean film? Correct?” To which the actor replied, “That is true, Mr. Rottenborn.”
Since then, though, Depp has seemingly rescinded his sentiment as to whether he would return as Captain Jack Sparrow, with sources close to the actor saying he would now consider reprising his role. Pirates franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer said back in March that work on Pirates of the Caribbean 6 was happening and that he would love to see Depp back as Jack Sparrow.
The future of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise continues to be a source of buzz, fueled by contradictory updates and unclear signals from those involved. While the studio has yet to take a definitive stance on the series’ next chapter, longtime producer Jerry Bruckheimer has made it clear he hopes to bring Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow back into action.
Despite the uncertainty, fans remain optimistic. With more than one project reportedly in the pipeline, Hollywood is watching closely to see where the swashbuckling saga heads next.
At present, two Pirates films are said to be in development: the much-anticipated sixth entry in the main series and a spinoff led by Barbie star Margot Robbie. The latter has been the subject of confusion, with Robbie previously suggesting the film was shelved, only for Bruckheimer to later confirm it’s still alive—just not a priority until Pirates 6 moves forward.
Late last year, it was reported by Variety‘s sources that “nothing has been ruled out” when it comes to Johnny Depp starring in Pirates of the Caribbean 6, despite it seemingly being a reboot of the franchise. Back in February 2025, reports surfaced claiming that Walt Disney Studios was readying Pirates 6 for a Hollywood sound stage, with Johnny Depp in tow.
And if Depp does come back and star in Pirates of the Caribbean 6, it will cost The Walt Disney Company a fortune. In looking at his salaries for the previous five movies, Depp’s return may not cost Disney the suggested $300 million, but it would be a rather hefty price tag.
As Screenrant notes, Depp’s salaries for the five Pirates franchise movies were as follows:
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl — $10 million
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest — $60 million
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End — $50 million
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides — $55 million
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales — $90 million
Related: Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow “Replacements” To Join Together in New Movie: Report
While it can be expected that Depp’s return to the Pirates of the Caribbean series in a sixth film would be a lucrative one, considering the amount of support the actor has garnered over his long career, it still comes with a risk.
It may even be expected that Depp’s earnings for Pirates 6 could surpass those of Dead Men Tell No Tales due to the potential success of the movie. Although in the current turbulent box office climate–where movies like Disney’s Snow White (2025) and Marvel’s newest Captain America (2025) fail to make a significant splash–anything might happen.
Last year, Johnny Depp debuted his directorial effort, Modi: Three Days on Wing of Madness (2024).
How much do you think Johnny Depp should be paid to star in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean 6? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!