Disney Not Likely To Release 'Pirates of the Caribbean 6' During Trump Presidency

It has been nearly a decade since Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) hit theaters, and yet, Disney still has no clear direction for Pirates of the Caribbean 6.

Fans have waited years for updates, only to be met with endless rumors, vague statements from producers, and uncertainty over Johnny Depp’s involvement. At this point, it’s safe to say that the next Pirates movie won’t be arriving anytime soon.

In fact, if you’re waiting for Pirates of the Caribbean 6, you might be in for a wait that lasts the entirety of Donald Trump’s second term as president. That’s not a political statement—just a reality check on how long this process is taking.

If things keep going the way they are, we could see the movie released in 2027 at the earliest and most likely into 2028 or 2029, meaning Trump’s entire term could come and go before Disney finally puts this film in theaters.

Let that sink in. That’s how long we’re talking about here — an entire presidential term.

Pirates of the Caribbean: A Franchise Lost At Sea

For years, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise was one of Disney’s most bankable properties. The first five films, beginning with The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), pulled in over $4.5 billion at the worldwide box office, turning Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow into one of the most iconic movie characters of all time.

However, after Dead Men Tell No Tales underperformed both critically and financially, Disney found itself at a crossroads. The movie earned the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of the franchise (30%) and became the lowest-grossing entry domestically, signaling that audiences might be losing interest.

On top of that, controversy surrounding Johnny Depp’s legal battle with Amber Heard led to Disney distancing itself from the actor, leaving the future of Captain Jack Sparrow—and the series as a whole—up in the air.

Since then, Disney has toyed with multiple ideas for Pirates of the Caribbean 6, but none have materialized into a concrete plan. Franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer has confirmed that two different scripts exist—one featuring Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow and one without him—but Disney has yet to move forward with either version.

Meanwhile, a separate Pirates spinoff starring Margot Robbie was initially announced, then seemingly canceled, only for Bruckheimer to later suggest that it’s still in the works.

The result? A franchise that has been floating aimlessly for years, with no clear destination in sight.

Why The Wait Is Going To Be So Long

Even if Disney were to officially greenlight Pirates of the Caribbean 6 tomorrow, we’d still be looking at a long wait before the film actually arrives in theaters.

For context, Dead Men Tell No Tales took two full years from the start of production to its release in 2017. That was with a fully developed script and no major creative shake-ups. Right now, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 doesn’t even have a finalized direction, let alone a confirmed cast or a shooting schedule.

If production miraculously started by the end of 2025—which is an optimistic estimate—the earliest realistic release date would be sometime in 2027. That means we would go nearly an entire presidential term before we ever get to see another Pirates film.

Again, this isn’t a political post. It’s just a marker to show how long the wait for Pirates of the Caribbean 6 might be.

And that’s assuming things go smoothly. If Disney keeps dragging its feet, or if it decides to reboot the series entirely, that timeline could stretch even further, potentially pushing the next movie into 2028, 2029, or even into the 2030s.

Will It Even Be Worth the Wait?

By the time Pirates of the Caribbean 6 finally arrives, it will have been at least a full decade since the last installment. That raises an important question: Will audiences even care by then?

The longer Disney waits, the more it risks losing its core audience. Kids who grew up watching Jack Sparrow’s adventures are now adults with very different moviegoing habits. Meanwhile, younger audiences who weren’t around for the height of the Pirates craze may not have the same enthusiasm for the franchise.

If Johnny Depp returns, it could reignite interest, but that’s still far from guaranteed. Depp previously stated in court that he would never work with Disney again, though more recent reports suggest he might be open to a return under the right circumstances. If Disney ultimately decides to move forward without him, the film will face an uphill battle in winning over longtime fans who see Jack Sparrow as irreplaceable.

Disney’s Hesitation Could Backfire

Disney has already seen what happens when it mishandles beloved franchises. The Star Wars sequel trilogy left fans divided, and its struggles to launch new live-action Star Wars films have shown that even the most successful franchises aren’t invincible.

By waiting too long on Pirates of the Caribbean 6, Disney risks losing whatever momentum the series still has left. Instead of striking while the iron is hot, the studio has allowed the franchise to drift further into obscurity.

At some point, Disney will have to make a decision:

• Bring Johnny Depp back and attempt to recapture the magic of the earlier films.
• Move forward with a brand-new cast and risk alienating fans.
• Reboot the entire franchise from scratch and hope audiences are willing to embrace a fresh start.

Right now, it seems like Disney doesn’t know which option to choose. And until it does, we’re all stuck waiting.

The Bottom Line: Don’t Expect Pirates of the Caribbean 6 Anytime Soon

At this point, it’s safe to say that Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is still years away. Even in the best-case scenario, the film won’t be ready until 2027.

If you’ve been holding out hope for a new Pirates adventure, you might want to settle in for a long wait. Because right now, the only thing more uncertain than the future of this franchise is when—or if—Disney will finally decide to set sail again.