Johnny Depp and Pirates of the Caribbean 6:
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Johnny Depp and Pirates of the Caribbean 6: What We Know So Far Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the most entertaining & successful and beloved movie franchises of all time, thanks to the charismatic performance of Johnny Depp as the eccentric pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. However, the future of the series has been uncertain since Depp was fired by Disney in 2018 following allegations of domestic abuse by his ex-wife Amber Heard. Fans have been wondering if Depp will ever return to the role that made him a global star, and what the next instalment of the franchise will be about.
Johnny Depp Is Pirates of the Caribbean 6 happening?The answer is yes, but not as we expected. According to producer Jerry Bruckheimer, there are two scripts in development for the sixth movie, neither of which involves Depp… at least for now. One of them is a female-led project with Margot Robbie as the lead, which is said to be a spin-off rather than a reboot². The other one is a supposed reboot with a younger cast, written by Ted Elliott and Craig Mazin³. Both projects are still in the early stages, and no release date has been announced yet.
Will Johnny Depp return as Jack Sparrow?This is the million-dollar question that has divided the fans and the industry. Depp has been involved in a legal battle with Heard since 2018 when she published an op-ed in The Washington Post accusing him of being an abusive husband. Depp sued her for defamation, and the case went to trial in London in 2020, where he lost. He was also dropped from his other major role as Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise by Warner Bros.⁴However, in 2022, Depp won a defamation case against Heard in Virginia, where he was awarded $50 million in damages. He also received an apology letter from Disney, who reportedly offered him a $301 million deal to return to Pirates of the Caribbean 6⁵. However, Disney later denied these reports, calling them “made up” and “false”.Depp himself has expressed his desire to give Jack Sparrow a proper goodbye, saying that he “planned on continuing until it was time to stop”. However, he also stated that “nothing on earth” would convince him to work with Disney again, after they fired him without giving him a chance to defend himself.
What do the fans think?The fans have been vocal about their support for Depp, and their disappointment with Disney’s decision to fire him. Many have launched online petitions, campaigns, and boycotts to demand his reinstatement as Jack Sparrow, and to protest against the new projects without him. Some of the most popular petitions include “We want Johnny Depp back as Captain Jack Sparrow”, which has over 600,000 signatures, and “Do not make a Pirates of the Caribbean film without Johnny Depp”, which has over 500,000 signatures.Many fans have also expressed their scepticism and disinterest in the new projects, especially the one with Margot Robbie, who they see as a replacement for Depp. Some have accused Disney of being hypocritical, sexist, and biased, for firing Depp based on unproven allegations, while keeping other actors with similar or worse accusations, such as Amber Heard, who plays Mera in the Aquaman franchise.
## What is the future of Pirates of the Caribbean?It is hard to predict what will happen with Pirates of the Caribbean 6, and whether Johnny Depp will ever return as Jack Sparrow. The franchise has been a huge moneymaker for Disney, grossing over $4.5 billion worldwide, and has a loyal fan base that loves Depp’s character. However, the franchise has also faced declining box office returns and critical reception, with the last movie, Dead Men Tell No Tales, being the lowest-grossing and worst-reviewed of the series.Disney may be trying to revitalize the franchise with new stories and characters, but they may also risk alienating the fans who want to see Johnny Depp back. The legal and public opinion battles between Johnny Depp and Heard are also far from over and may affect the future of both actors and their careers.Whatever happens, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will be a controversial and anticipated movie, that will either mark the end or the beginning of a new era for the franchise.
