Rumor has it the Captain Jack Sparrow himself, Johnny Depp, may return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, according to film scooper Daniel Richtman via CBR.
Depp has starred in five Pirates of the Caribbean movies and was fired by Disney due to allegations made by Amber Heard, his ex-wife. After coming out victorious in the defamation trial against Heard, the actor has made a bit of a comeback.
The Return of Captain Jack Sparrow?
This comeback has led his fans — and fans of the franchise — to demand his return. Depp last played the pirate captain in 2017's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. However, that may be complicated since there are rumors that the Pirates franchise is turning its eyes to a reboot with a female lead.
According to Richtman, Disney is considering bringing back Depp for a new Pirates film, but as a supporting role rather than Captain Jack as lead.
These rumors haven't been confirmed yet, and it's not clear whether Depp will actually be involved in the next movie. It's not surprising if Disney does end up reaching out to the actor to bring his character back, even in a limited capacity. This could be their compromise if they want to move on with the franchise and introducing new characters with Captain Jack there providing a bit of continuity.
It could also be the entertainment giant's way of appeasing fans who have taken to social media to say that they wouldn't watch another Pirates of the Caribbean movie without Depp.
However, the issue could be on Depp wanting to return. During the defamation trial, he said that he felt “betrayed” by the House of Mouse firing him from the iconic role. When he testified on the stand, he said that wouldn't work with Disney again even if they offered “$300 million and a million alpacas.”
Depp could change his mind now that his legal battles are over and he's hard at work at reclaiming his career.
As for the next Pirates of the Caribbean movies, there have been reports that Margot Robbie was being tapped to lead the reboot, however she has said that it might not move forward. The Bear star Ayo Edebiri was also rumored to potentially lead the franchise reboot. However, neither Edebiri nor Disney has verified this news as yet.