Jack Sparrow Just Made His Disney Movie Return

Despite a seemingly uncertain onscreen future, the iconic Jack Sparrow has actually already made his Disney return. With the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise stuck in a state of creative torpor, Jonny Depp's Keith Richards-inspired captain has been relegated to the sidelines – despite being one of the most recognizable of all Disney's characters. This makes his return in a Disney property a genuinely exciting prospect, even if it isn't under the circumstances many viewers may have hoped for.

Even though Pirates of the Caribbean has made several billion dollars at the box office, it is as part of another lucrative Disney franchise that Jack Sparrow has actually made his comeback. In The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, as Drax and Mantis patrol the streets of LA on the hunt for Kevin Bacon, an actor dressed as Captain Jack can be seen on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, surrounded by fans and eager tourists. While this appearance is certainly not as comprehensive as many Pirates devotees would have wished – and slightly unusual in 2022 – it is nonetheless significant that Jack Sparrow has made his return in a Disney project, highlighting that both the character and wider franchise are both very much still in the picture as far as the studio is concerned.

How GOTG Returned Jack Sparrow To Disney Movies

As a subseries, Guardians of the Galaxy has been one of the most meta in the MCU – constantly making pop-culture references, often to comedic effect. In many ways, this made it a natural place for a Jack Sparrow cameo. In the Holiday Special, Sparrow makes his appearance as part of a roster of famous characters, including a version of Steve Rogers, Ant-Man, Zorro and a Transformer – a particular source of umbrage for Drax, who later proceeds to attack the unfortunate actor.

Ordinarily, a fleeting appearance from another major Disney character would be fairly unremarkable. However, Sparrow's return is so significant because of the state of his original franchise. Following the release of 2017's On Stranger Tides, Pirates of the Caribbean has been in a state of constant uncertainty – financially lucrative, yet critically reviled and denounced by its star Jonny Depp. A sixth film in the series has no concrete plan for release, while a Margot Robbie-led Pirates reboot has been canceled after years of speculation. All this turbulence means that any Disney Pirates reference, however fleeting, is a welcome sign for die-hard fans, who can take heart from the fact that studio has clearly not forgotten about one of its major non-Marvel properties.

Does Jack Sparrow's "Return" Mean Anything For The Future?

Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean 5

Given the uncertainty around Pirates of the Caribbean, it's tempting to read a lot into Jack Sparrow's appearance in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. However, the sad likelihood is that the cameo is more of a passing reference rather than anything genuinely meaningful. After the confirmed cancelation of Robbie's Pirates spin-off in November 2022 and Depp's post-defamation trial statements about his unwillingness to return to the franchise, positive news about the series is thin on the ground. The fact that Jack Sparrow has returned to Disney is a significant moment. However, viewing it as any confirmation about the future of The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise would, given the context, probably be a mistake.

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