Long-time producer Jerry Bruckheimer previously confirmed that Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is moving forward, but according to a recent interview with Margot Robbie, the project is dead at Disney. Even if they revive the project, Johnny Depp is not expected to return. Following Depp's successful verdict in the defamation trial against his ex-wife, Amber Heard, fans are wondering if there's still hope for Depp to return and reprise his most iconic role, Captain Jack Sparrow.
Depp starred in five Pirates of the Caribbean movies, with the atest one being the 2017 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
A new rumor recently made headlines, claiming that Depp is set to return to Pirates of the Caribbean, for no less than $301 million, The rumor also hinted that a Disney Plus series might be in development, that would explore the early years of Jack Sparrow (even though Depp is already 59-years-old).
The rumor comes from a source interviewed by Aussie outlet Poptopic. “The deal is reportedly for Johnny Depp to return as Jack Sparrow,” the source said. "Disney is very interested in patching up their relationship with Johnny Depp. They are very hopeful that Johnny will forgive them and return as his iconic character."
Keep on reading to find out what we know about the possibility of Johnny Depp returning to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
Is Johnny Depp returning as Jack Sparrow?
As exciting as it would be to watch an aging Depp play the younger version of his most iconic role, the rumor is not true.
Shortly after the rumor spread online, a spokesperson for Depp denied that report. "This is made up," Depp's representative told NBC News.
$301 million seems like an unrealistic figure for this kind of deal. That's about equal to the entire budget of Caribbean: At World's End.
Back in May 2022, Pirates of the Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer was asked if Depp would return for future projects. "Not at this point," he told The Sunday Times. "The future is yet to be decided."
However, if you're a big fan of Depp, don't lose hope for Jack Sparrow's return yet.
“I absolutely believe post-verdict that Pirates is primed for rebooting with Johnny as Capt. Jack back on board,” an unnamed former Disney exec told People magazine. “There is just too much potential box-office treasure for a beloved character deeply embedded in the Disney culture.”
During the defamation trial, Depp said that he has no interest in returning for more Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
At one point, Heard’s attorney asked Depp, “The fact is, Mr. Depp, if Disney came to you with $300 million and a million alpacas, nothing on this earth would get you to go back and work with Disney on a Pirates of the Caribbean film? Correct?”
The 59-year-old actor replied, “That is true, Mr. Rottenborn.”
Will Jack Sparrow return in a new Pirates of the Caribbean project?
According to Giant Freakin Robot's trusted and proven sources, a Pirates of the Caribbean Disney+ series is in the works, and it's reportedly going to be animated, meaning that Jack Sparrow could be voiced by a sound-a-like, but don't expect Johnny Depp to reprise his character, even in animated form.
What's the petition for Johnny Depp to return as Captain Jack Sparrow?
A petition to bring Johnny Depp back as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean 6 recently gained traction. The Change.org petition titled Justice for Johnny Depp was created by Kimberly Giles two years ago, and is directed to the Walt Disney Company.
As of Oct. 11, 2022, 792,000 people have signed the petition.
Meanwhile, the fan petition to remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2 already surpassed 4.6 million signatures.