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Credit: DisneyAfter years of controversy and uncertainty, Disney has finally made a decision regarding the next chapter in its Pirates of the Caribbean series.
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Few film franchises are as legendary or as iconic as Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean series of films. What started as a film based on the classic dark ride of the same name at the Disney parks slowly transformed into one of the world’s most profitable and epic string of movies, launching several actors and actresses to stardom. Of course, a discussion revolving around Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise would not be complete without mentioning Johnny Depp, who portrays the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow in all five previous films.
Johnny Depp’s take on the drunken, mysterious, and often comical pirate is nothing short of legendary and is one of the world’s most recognizable film roles in history. However, according to the producer himself, Johnny Depp is officially confirmed to be excluded from the next film.
Johnny Depp’s Exit From ‘Pirates’ Confirmed
After years of speculation regarding whether or not Johny Depp would be returning, Jerry Bruckheimer, the longtime producer of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, has officially confirmed the actor’s exit from the series. According to a new report from ComicBook.com, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will be a total reboot of the franchise. Bruckheimer was instrumental in a lot of world-renowned film franchises, like Top Gun Maverick. During a discussion regarding which of his next projects would be hitting theaters next, Bruckheimer broke the news regarding the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
“You don’t know how they come together. You just don’t know. With Top Gun, you have an actor who is iconic and brilliant. And how many movies he does before he does Top Gun, I can’t tell you. But we’re gonna reboot Pirates, so that is easier to put together because you don’t have to wait for certain actors.”
A sequel to Top Gun: Maverick is already in the works, but it appears Disney’s plans to totally revitalize the Pirates of the Caribbean series going forward. With the next film in the series being a reboot, it looks like Johnny Depp’s final performance as the swashbuckling pirate Jack Sparrow will be with 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. This news follows previous reports and rumors that Depp was officially done with the series.
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Johnny Depp found himself distanced from The Walt Disney Company during his legal battle against former partner and Hollywood star Amber Heard. The two found themselves at the center of a viral defamation suit, one that would cost both actors permanent damage to their image. Millions of viewers watched the case unfold as if it were a movie itself. Due to information that was revealed during the case, Disney seemingly pulled the plug on Johnny Depp altogether, announcing that the next Pirates of the Caribbean film would feature a female-led cast. Rumors indicated that Margot Robbie would be stepping in as the new lead of the series. However, after months of rumors and even official interviews with Margot Robbie, the film fell apart. The film was set to be written by her Birds of Prey (2020) screenwriter Christina Hodson but was eventually scrapped.
“We had an idea, and we were developing it for a while, ages ago, to have more of a female-led—not totally female-led, but just a different kind of story—which we thought would’ve been really cool,” Robbie explained, “But I guess they don’t want to do it.”
Disney flip-flopped on its original decision about Johnny Depp, reportedly offering the actor a chance to return as a side character. However, Disney has made up its mind, with the next Pirates of the Film setting sail on uncharted waters.
What are your thoughts on the Pirates of the Caribbean series? Did you hope to see Johnny Depp return as Captain Jack Sparrow?