Johnny Depp discusses his original plans to help write Pirates of the Caribbean 6 before Disney fired the actor in response to domestic violence allegations. The actor revealed details about his termination in his testimony on Monday morning in the defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard. After the Aquaman actress claimed to be a survivor of abuse in a 2018 Washington Post article, Disney released Depp from his contract, ending their relationship with the Captain Jack Sparrow actor.
Fifty million dollars is at stake in the current lawsuit filed against Heard, as Depp fights to revive his reputation and his career. Being removed from Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is only one of the losses Depp faced. Warner Bros. also asked Depp to remove himself from the Fantastic Beasts franchise, in which the actor played Grindelwald, the former lover-turned-enemy of Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter spinoff. Now, Depp and his legal team are fighting for victory in the defamation suit against Heard, claiming the allegations of physical and sexual abuse outlined in the Washington Post article are fraudulent.
CBS News has been live-streaming the court proceedings, and many are tuning in to watch Depp give a more detailed account of his experience, including the fallout from being fired by Disney. For many fans, Captain Jack Sparrow had become the most beloved part of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, and the actor describes his shock and confusion after losing that role so suddenly. Depp shared that not only did he intend to continue as long as the franchise would allow him, but he wanted to be an active participant in finding the right finale for the films. Read Depp's comments on the matter, below:
"I didn't quite understand how after that long relationship and quite a successful relationship, certainly for Disney, that suddenly I was guilty until proven innocent... I, in fact, had been approached to take part in writing Pirates 6... my feeling was that these characters should be able to have their proper goodbye, as it were. A franchise can only last for so long, and there's a way to end a franchise like that. And I thought that the characters deserved... to end their franchise on a very good note. I planned on continuing until it was time to stop."
While there were reports about Disney compiling negative press on Depp for some time, the star did not face severe consequences until Heard published her op-ed in 2018. The actor was blocked from all future participation in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise before any evidence was found against him. As Depp points out, his punishment came before having a chance to prove his innocence and clear his name. Disney's decision came as a shock to the actor and his fan base, severing a nearly 20 year long relationship between Depp and the studio.
Plans for the sixth Pirates film shifted after Depp was fired, as the studio plans to focus on the new characters from the fifth film, as well as a female lead who will replace Jack Sparrow. Margot Robbie will fill the role, although progress on the film has been almost nonexistent in the wake of the controversy surrounding Depp and Heard. Over 700,000 names have been added to a petition demanding Pirates of the Caribbean 6 bring back Jack Sparrow, exemplifying the public's disproval of the new approach Disney is taking. Even if the studio were to change their minds and renegotiate with the original star, Depp claims he will never again play Sparrow in a Pirates movie. Disney now has to decide the best way to move forward with the franchise while facing criticism for firing Depp in the first place.
Source: CBS News