There is a possibility that Johnny Depp may once again take on the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in the upcoming Pirates Of The Caribbean film, an insider close to the movie has suggested.
The actor played the lead role in all five of the movies in the franchise, which kicked off in 2003 with The Curse Of The Black Pearl. However, following the last movie — 2017’s Dead Men Tell No Tales — Depp allegedly parted ways with Disney, and would no longer be taking on the character for any further projects.
This split came in light of the recent trials between the actor and ex-wife Amber Heard, who claimed that the Hollywood A-lister had physically and emotionally abused her.
The conflict between Depp and Heard initiated in 2019, when Depp sued Heard for defamation, following a 2018 op-ed piece she had written for The Washington Post, claiming she was a victim of domestic abuse.
The Aquaman actress then countersued Depp the following year, and the case soon made headlines after it went to trial in 2022.
Two trials were held, one in the UK and one in the US. In the UK libel case, while Depp was never accused of rape, he was found to have subjected her to violent domestic abuse. In the US case, however, her claims were found largely not to be true. Though Amber Heard vowed to appeal the decision of the US case, she eventually settled with Johnny Depp outside of court, paying the actor $1 million in December.
Amid the controversy between Depp and Heard, Disney reportedly turned its back on the Pirates Of The Caribbean actor. Later, Depp also claimed in the trial that he wouldn’t return to Disney “for $300million”.
Now, although neither party has confirmed that they would like to rejoin forces, Sean Bailey, the Disney Studios Motion Picture Production President, has hinted that there may be a possibility of Depp returning to the iconic role in the forthcoming film.
“We think we have a really good, exciting story that honours the films that have come before but also has something new to say,” he said to the New York Times of the upcoming movie, which will be the sixth in the franchise.
When asked about the potential of Depp appearing in the film, he claimed that Disney was “noncommittal at this point.”
While this is far from meaning that the actor will reprise his role of Jack Sparrow any time soon, it does confirm that Disney has not made any concrete decisions to not have Depp be a part of upcoming movies.
Speculation about a potential appearance from Depp in the new project arose earlier this year, when the film’s producer admitted that he would “love” to have the actor return as Captain Jack Sparrow.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly on the red carpet at this year’s Oscars, Jerry Bruckheimer stated: “We’re all working on it [the next Pirates film]. We’ll see how it comes out. We’re very excited, I think we’re gonna have a great screenplay when, and we’re getting close.”
Pressed further for any news regarding a potential return for Depp, he said: “We’ll see. I would love it. I would love to have him in the movie – that’s all that I can tell you.”
In other Depp news, last month the actor appeared at the 2023 edition of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in support of his latest film Jeanne Du Barry.
His appearance at the film festival stirred controversy online – while he and his castmates received a seven-minute standing ovation at a screening. Speaking on the backlash he received, he stated: “I don’t feel boycotted by Hollywood, because I don’t think about Hollywood. It’s a strange, funny time where everybody would love to be able to be themselves, but they can’t. They must fall in line with the person in front of them. If you want to live that life, I wish you the best.”