Actor Johnny Depp is synonymous with the role of Captain Jack Sparrow from Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. After five films in the franchise, Depp’s time as Jack Sparrow met an unexpected halt after his legal troubles with ex-wife Amber Heard garnered widespread media attention and public scrutiny. However, new rumors of Depp’s return to the iconic role are making rounds on the internet.
Rumors of Johnny Depp returning for Pirates of the Caribbean 6 have surfaced repeatedly, but there is no confirmation regarding it. Moreover, the actor has spoken out about his chances of re-teaming with Disney for a potential sixth installment in the franchise. Here is how the rumors of Johnny Depp’s return as Jack Sparrow emerged and what the actor has said about working with Disney again.
Rumors of Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow Return Originated From a Pirates of the Caribbean 6 Poster
Rumors of Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow return have persisted ever since the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales in 2017. However, the latest round of rumors emerged from a poster that is going viral on the internet. The poster seemingly confirms Depp reprising his role as Jack Sparrow for the sixth installment, which is reportedly titled Pirates of the Caribbean: Demons of the Corsair.
The poster also claims the film is set for a 2025 release. However, from the amateurish effort on the poster and lack of any official comment from Disney or producer Jerry Bruckheimer, it is safe to dismiss it as fan art. Hence, as things stand, Johnny Depp’s return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is far from confirmed. However, earlier in 2023, Bruckheimer confirmed that a sixth film was indeed being developed.
In 2022, Disney hired Craig Mazin and Ted Elliott to pen the screenplay for the sixth installment. In August 2023, Mazin confirmed that the duo had handed over their script to Disney. While speaking with ET in March 2023, Bruckheimer also expressed an interest in seeing Johnny Depp reprising his iconic role for the sixth installment.
“We’ll see, I would love it. I would love to have him in the movie, that’s all I can tell you.”
However, question marks remain over Depp’s return, particularly because of the actor’s statements about Disney during his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. Following allegations of domestic abuse against Depp, Disney had reportedly cut ties with the actor.
Johnny Depp’s Stance on Working With Disney Has Supposedly Changed
In April 2022, Johnny Depp stood in court during his ongoing defamation trial against Amber Heard. During his testimony, Depp stated that he would not return to work with Disney on any future Pirates of the Caribbean projects even if he were offered upwards of $301 million. Depp’s resolve to not work with Disney was reportedly because the studio decided to cut ties with him before a verdict was reached in his case.
In June 2022, a spokesperson denied rumors that Johnny Depp was offered a large sum to return to the swashbuckling adventure franchise. However, a year later, in July 2023, a source close to Depp claimed that the Academy Award-nominated actor would be interested in reprising the role of Jack Sparrow if the project seemed a right fit.
Hence, Depp’s stance on working with Disney has seemingly changed since he won the defamation suit against Heard. Moreover, producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s enthusiastic comments about re-teaming with Johnny Depp also indicate the possibility of seeing him in Pirates of the Caribbean 6. Ultimately, it seems like Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will happen, but only time will tell if Depp returns to the franchise.
