After years of uncertainty surrounding the franchise and Depp’s possible return, producer Jerry Bruckheimer has confirmed that the actor is now in talks to reprise his iconic role, SFF Gazette reported.
Speaking to Deadline at D23, Bruckheimer said the team is working on a screenplay and negotiating with Depp.
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“We’re talking with Johnny [Depp], we’re working on a screenplay, and hopefully we can get this done,” Bruckheimer said.
The potential comeback would mark a major development for the long-running Disney franchise, which has been without a new movie since 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
However, Depp’s possible return does not necessarily mean the new film will revolve entirely around Jack Sparrow.
According to Deadline, the next chapter is expected to put Margot Robbie’s character at the center of the story, with Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow appearing in a supporting role.
That would represent a significant change for the franchise, which has traditionally been built around Depp’s eccentric pirate.
The original Pirates of the Caribbean series launched in 2003 with The Curse of the Black Pearl, introducing audiences to Sparrow alongside characters played by Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and Kevin McNally.
The first film became a major box-office success, earning about $654 million worldwide. The franchise subsequently expanded with Dead Man’s Chest, At World’s End, On Stranger Tides and Dead Men Tell No Tales, collectively generating more than $4.5 billion worldwide.
Plans for another installment became complicated following Depp’s highly publicised legal battles and his disputes with Disney. For years, his future as Captain Jack Sparrow remained uncertain.
Now, however, Bruckheimer’s comments suggest that the door has reopened.
The new approach could allow Disney to introduce Robbie as the franchise’s new central character while bringing back Sparrow as a familiar face for longtime fans.
Exactly how the two characters will be connected remains unclear, and there is still no confirmed release date for the film.
For now, Depp’s return is in talks rather than officially confirmed, but the possibility of seeing Captain Jack Sparrow back on screen has suddenly become much more real.
