New Pirates of the Caribbean movies unlikely to feature Johnny Depp as lead

From Willie Wonka to Edward Scissorhands, Johnny Depp has an impressive arsenal of characters under his belt, with no two portrayals anything like the other. And yet, one role has constantly reigned far above the rest in popularity, forever changing cosplay conventions worldwide. We’re talking about Captain Jack Sparrow, of course.

Depp’s portrayal of Jack in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies has helped the franchise reportedly gross a staggering $4.5 billion globally. Being such a pivotal and unique character, it would undoubtedly feel odd watching the movies without Johnny Depp reprising his role. And yet, that could very well be the plan for the franchise going forward, it turns out.
Complete reboot of the franchise
According to media reports, two more Pirates of the Caribbean films are in production, with a complete reboot on the table for the franchise. Unfortunately for Depp die-hards, this may also mean that the character will no longer play the main role in future installments.

Much of this ruling stemmed from the infamous Depp v Heard defamation trial in 2022, following which there have been speculations that Disney has maintained their distance from the actor. Johnny Depp himself has expressed that he felt “deeply hurt” by Disney’s subsequent decision to cancel the sixth movie.
Will Jack Sparrow return?
However, Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of all five previous Pirates of the Caribbean films, has conveyed eagerness to bring the actor back to the franchise.

"It's a reboot, but if it was up to me, he would be in it," Bruckheimer told Entertainment Weekly. "I love him. He's a good friend. He's an amazing artist and he's a unique look. He created Captain Jack”.

Even if Johnny Depp returns to his prodigious role, it is unlikely that the upcoming two movies will feature him as the lead. Bruckheimer has insinuated that a Margot Robbie-centered Pirates movie will likely receive production priority, perhaps due to the billion-dollar success of the recent Barbie movie. A script is being developed for the other reboot movie, with Dead Men Tell No Tales writer Jeff Nathanson at the helm.

"I think he's cracked it," Bruckheimer remarked on Nathanson’s script so far. "He's got an amazing third act. We just gotta clean up the first and second and then we'll get there. But he wrote a great, great third act.”

As the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise sails into uncharted waters, fans can only speculate on what the future holds. However, with talents like Margot Robbie potentially steering the ship and Jeff Nathanson's promising script developments, the franchise is poised for an exciting evolution. One thing is certain: the spirit of Captain Jack will forever be a guiding star on the horizon of pirate adventures.