Though he's expressed his doubts on returning, a former Disney executive is confident Johnny Depp will be back for a future Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Depp starred in the action-adventure franchise based on the Disneyland ride as Captain Jack Sparrow, a drunken misanthrope who constantly finds himself at the center of supernatural-based adventures while sailing his Black Pearl ship. Having first launched in 2003, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has received generally mixed reviews from critics but has seen mostly box office successes, grossing a total of $4.5 billion across its five films.
Depp himself has received generally positive reviews for his performance as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, even earning his first Oscar nomination for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, though lost it to Jamie Foxx for his turn in Ray. With the latter franchise installment seeing lower box office returns and Depp running into legal trouble with his ex-wife Amber Heard, the Pirates of the Caribbean property has remained mostly dormant for the past five years. As producer Jerry Bruckheimer looks to inject new life into the franchise, one who was close to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies believe the future may lie in the hands of its lead star.
On the heels of the actor winning his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, People spoke with an unnamed former Disney executive to discuss their thoughts on Johnny Depp's future with the studio. The anonymous exec said the chances for Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean return are high following his victory, believing the box office chances to be strong and comparing its chances to Top Gun: Maverick's recent success. See what the source said below:
"I absolutely believe post-verdict that Pirates is primed for rebooting with Johnny as Capt. Jack back on board. There is just too much potential box-office treasure for a beloved character deeply embedded in the Disney culture. With [producer] Jerry Bruckheimer riding high on the massive success of Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick, there is huge appetite for bringing back bankable Hollywood stars in massively popular franchises."
Though the unnamed former Disney executive thinks the chances are high for the actor's return, Depp himself has expressed doubts about coming back for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. During his defamation trial against Heard, Depp revealed the major salary he was offered to come back for a sixth film and his desire for it to conclude Jack Sparrow's story, but stated he would turn Disney down if they asked for him to come back for Pirates of the Caribbean 6, even if he was offered $300 million to come back. As the unnamed executive mentioned, Bruckheimer is coming off of the record-breaking success of Top Gun: Maverick, which incidentally beat out Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End as the best Memorial Day opening weekend box office, but unlike the swashbuckling franchise, there was only anticipation amongst audiences going into Tom Cruise's sequel rather than trepidation.
Bruckheimer himself has offered minor updates on the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean in recent months, namely confirmations that Margot Robbie's movie is still in development while also stating that Depp's future with the franchise is currently unknown. Even with this uncertainty, Bruckheimer has said multiple times that a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean set in Depp's storyline is still in the works. While audiences await further word on what the future holds for the series, they can revisit the original Pirates of the Caribbean movies streaming on Disney+ now.
Source: People