Johnny Depp Now Poised for ‘Pirates 6’ Comeback, New Script Reportedly Being Written

Johnny Depp may return as Captain Jack Sparrow after all.

A group of pirates on a ship's deck: a woman in a hat and dark clothing, a man with dreadlocks and a tricorn hat, and another bearded man in pirate attire. In the background, a bald, muscular man with tattoos holds a weapon, with the ocean visible. — Credit: Disney

Multiple new scripts are currently in development for a new Pirates of the Caribbean film, one of which includes Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow. Depp has portrayed Jack Sparrow for many years, but the actor’s time as the swashbuckling pirate was assumed to have ended following the incredibly public defamation case he and his former partner Amber Heard were a part of in 2022.

Disney was rumored to have cut ties with Depp following the trial, leading many to assume Depp would not be returning for more Pirates films, if any were on the table.

While the franchise has been treading water for quite some time, longtime Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed earlier this year that a reboot was in development.

“It’s hard to tell. You don’t know, you really don’t know,” Bruckheimer said. “You don’t know how they come together. You just don’t know. Because 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.”

Now, Variety reports that Depp may be poised for a comeback, with at least one version of a script including Captain Jack Sparrow.

A shocked-looking man dressed as a pirate with long, beaded hair and a clean tricorn hat is set against a backdrop of tropical foliage. — Credit: Disney

Bruckheimer is developing two versions of a script for the upcoming film, one of which would mark the return of Captain Jack Sparrow. Of course, this assumes both Depp and Disney would get their things in order and reconcile, something that may still be unlikely.

However, according to the new report, a “knowledgeable” source told Variety, “Nothing has been ruled out.” The report also claims Disney has not reached out to Depp yet.

Johnny Depp looking shocked as Jack Sparrow in the Disney Pirates of the Caribbean series — Credit: Disney

Disney’s now-legendary Pirates franchise began in 2003 with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, a film filled with action, comedy, stunts, and heart. The film went on to gross hundreds of millions of dollars, giving Disney no choice but to start up an entire franchise based on one of the company’s most iconic theme park rides.

Multiple Pirates sequels were produced, with the most recent entry in the series, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, hitting theaters in 2017. The franchise has remained shipwrecked since, though there have been near-nonstop rumblings about Disney raising the sails once again.

It’s long been debated whether Johnny Depp will be returning in an eventual Pirates sequel and/or reboot, as the actor suffered significant damage to his reputation during the trial against his former partner Amber Heard.

Both were suing each other for defamation of character. Depp began seeking legal action after The Washington Post published an OpEd penned by Heard, in which the actress accused Depp of abuse.

Depp was dropped from several lucrative projects following the release of the OpEd, claiming he lost millions of dollars as a result. In the end, a Virginia jury determined that both Depp and Heard had defamed each other. Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, whereas Heard was only awarded $2 million in damages.

What do you hope happens with Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise?