Pirates of the Caribbean 6 seems inevitable, but will the series’ most iconic star, Johnny Depp, be returning as Captain Jack Sparrow?
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has confirmed that a sixth movie is in the works for the film franchise inspired by Disney park rides. “We’re gonna reboot Pirates,” Bruckheimer recently told ComicBook.com.
It has been seven years since the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the fifth installment in the franchise. Rumors of another sequel have been in the works for years. Yet it seems likely that the series will be carried on without Depp.
Official announcements are yet to be released. However, Bruckheimer has hinted that Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will indeed undergo a reboot without Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow.
“We’re gonna reboot Pirates, so that is easier to put together [than Top Gun 3] because you don’t have to wait for certain actors,” the producer explained.
‘Pirates of the Caribbean 6’ Rowing Forward Without Johnny Depp Seems Likely
Indeed, starting with a clean slate might be less of a headache for Disney. Assembling stars Johnny Depp, Geffrey Rush, Keira Knightley, and Orlando Bloom for a belated Pirates of the Caribbean 6 would be a massive undertaking. A fresh crew setting sail might be what Disney needs.
That said, there have been rumblings of the franchise getting a new start for some time. At one point, there were discussions about Margot Robbie leading a female-driven Pirates film. However, it was not intended as a reboot or direct spinoff, but a unique narrative with new characters.
It seems that idea is dead in the water, though. “We had an idea and we were developing it for a while, ages ago, to have more of a female-led — not totally female-led, but just a different kind of story. We thought [it] would’ve been really cool. I guess they don’t want to do it,” Robbie revealed to Vanity Fair back in 2022.
Meanwhile, while a Pirates of the Caribbean reboot seems fast-tracked according to producer Jerry Bruckheimer, its fate is uncertain. So far, no cast or story details have been released, nor is there an expected release date for the film.