Johnny Depp has hinted that he could return as Captain Jack Sparrow in another ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film, but he has made it clear that he would want the next instalment to give the franchise a fitting send-off. The actor also expressed his willingness to work with producer Jerry Bruckheimer again, saying their friendship remains strong.

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In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Depp was asked about the possibility of reprising his much-loved pirate character. He said: “If things are exactly where they need to be with regard to how they are going to top off the 'Pirates' franchise… the only involvement I really want to have, truly, is just to send them off on a better note.”

The actor also spoke warmly about Bruckheimer, adding: “I will go to work with (Jerry) Bruckheimer tomorrow for anything. Doesn't matter… if it is Jerry. We have a deep friendship.”

Bruckheimer has also indicated that Depp's return is being discussed. At the D23 event in August, the producer told Deadline that he and the actor were in touch while work continued on the screenplay for the sixth film. “We're talking to Johnny (Depp), we're working on a screenplay, and trying to get this done,” he said. However, neither Depp nor the production team has confirmed his return to the franchise.

Why was Johnny Depp's return to the franchise in doubt?

Depp's association with the Pirates of the Caribbean series became uncertain following his highly publicised legal battles with his former wife, actor Amber Heard.

In 2018, Depp sued British newspaper The Sun over an article that described him as a “wife beater”. The case was dismissed in 2020, with the UK High Court ruling that the newspaper's description was substantially true. The actor was subsequently asked to leave the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ franchise and was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen in the third film.

In 2022, Depp and Heard faced each other in a widely followed defamation trial in the US. The jury found that Heard had defamed Depp in an opinion article she wrote for The Washington Post. It also found Depp liable for one statement made by his former lawyer about Heard. The former couple later reached a settlement. The legal disputes and their impact on Depp's career had left his future in major Hollywood franchises uncertain.

Johnny Depp's Journey as Captain Jack Sparrow

Depp first appeared as Captain Jack Sparrow in The Curse of the Black Pearl in 2003. The film's success led to four sequels: ‘Dead Man's Chest’ (2006), ‘At World's End’ (2007), ‘On Stranger Tides’ (2011) and ‘Dead Men Tell No Tales’ (2017).

His portrayal of the eccentric pirate became one of the most recognisable performances of his career and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for the first film.

Across its five films, the series has collected more than USD 4.5 billion at the worldwide box office. ‘Dead Man's Chest’ and ‘On Stranger Tides’ each crossed the USD 1 billion mark.

Depp is currently promoting his upcoming film ‘Ebenezer’, which is scheduled to release on November 13. The film also features Ian McKellen, Rupert Grint and Andrea Riseborough.

Agency inputs