Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise, has confirmed that Johnny Depp is in talks to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in a sixth movie. The film is also tipped to feature Margot Robbie.
Producer confirms talks at D23
Speaking at Disney's D23 event, where new projects are unveiled, Bruckheimer said: “We’re talking with Johnny, we’re working on a screenplay, and hopefully we can get this done.”
Depp, 63, has appeared in all five previous Pirates movies, reportedly earning over $300 million (£220 million) from the series through salaries and profit-participation deals.
Return to mainstream after legal battles
If the deal goes through, it would mark a significant return for Depp, whose work in mainstream movies has slowed following high-profile legal battles. It would be his first Disney role since he won his 2022 defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard.
He has recently focused on European and independent projects, but is also set to play Ebenezer Scrooge in the upcoming film Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol.
Character's origins and franchise legacy
Depp first starred as Sparrow in 2003's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, alongside Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. He has said his character's mannerisms were largely based on Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, who played Captain Teague in two of the films.
A sixth Pirates movie has been in development since 2018, but scriptwriter Stuart Beattie had previously suggested Depp's time as Captain Jack might be over as the series looked to reboot. Beattie told the Daily Mail: “I think he’s had a great run. Obviously, he’s made that character his own and it’s become the character he’s most famous for now. And kids all over the world love him as that character so I think it’s been great for him, it’s been great for us, so I’m just very, very happy about it. I think Jack Sparrow will be his legacy. It’s the only character he’s played five times.”
Depp has been a mainstay of Disney projects over the years, including two Alice In Wonderland movies, Into The Woods and The Lone Ranger. But Pirates Of The Caribbean has become his most iconic role, helping the franchise earn almost £4 billion at the box office so far.
A new movie could be timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original and hit cinemas in 2028.
