Johnny Depp's standout performance as Captain Jack Sparrow was arguably the main reason for Pirates of the Caribbean's popularity. Amber Heard's allegations of domestic violence and the subsequent high-profile legal battles seemingly saw Disney decide it would move on from the actor and his most iconic role, despite Depp (mostly) clearing his name.
Rumours have since swirled about a fresh start for the fantasy franchise, with Austin Butler, Ayo Edebiri, and Margot Robbie all supposedly in the mix for the sixth instalment or possible spin-offs.
While Depp is currently staging a career comeback, there's still no official word on what that means for Pirates of the Caribbean. Well, we now have a pretty definitive statement from Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the previous five instalments.
Talking to The Direct at the Producers Guild Awards (via SFFGazette.com), the filmmaker was asked about reports that the next Pirates movie will move on from Depp and pass the torch to a new lead. "First of all, that's not true. No, no, no. Johnny, if it's up to me, he'll be in it," Bruckheimer confirmed.
The latest Pirates of the Caribbean rumours have pointed to 1917 scribe Krysty Wilson-Cairns writing a movie that would focus on Jack Sparrow's son and, potentially, Robbie's mystery character.
Now, it seems safe to say that Depp will be back, even if it's in a supporting role. Whatever happens, Disney will be hoping to avoid the negative reaction that last year's TRON: Ares received. That movie paid homage to the franchise's past, but introduced new leads and ultimately flopped at the box office.
Inspired by one of Disneyland’s most iconic attractions, the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl, is still widely regarded as one of Disney's best live-action movies.
The franchise previously followed the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), with Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), and Joshamee Gibbs (Kevin McNally).
The series began in 2003 with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, a movie that grossed $654 million worldwide. After the first instalment's success, Disney forged ahead with two sequels, including 2006's Dead Man's Chest and At World's End in 2007. In 2011, we got On Stranger Tides, though Dead Men Tell No Tales ended things on something of a bum note in 2017.
Even though the sequels received a far less enthusiastic reception from fans and critics, the franchise has still grossed over $4.5 billion worldwide. It's no wonder then that Disney is eager to set sail on a new instalment.