Johnny Depp Open to Return To Disney Pirates Franchise, Insider Says
Johnny Depp may be open to making a comeback to the Disney family, according to a source close to him. Previously expressing feelings of betrayal towards the company responsible for the immensely successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, the acclaimed 60-year-old actor now seems willing to consider future projects with them.
The insider, shedding light on the matter, stated, “Anything is possible. If it’s the right project, he’ll do it.” While it remains uncertain whether the actor would reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in another Pirates film, recent reports have indicated that Disney appears to be cautiously considering the possibility of collaborating with Johnny once again.
Johnny’s portrayal of Jack Sparrow earned him an Oscar nomination in the original 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Subsequently, the franchise produced successful sequels in 2006, 2007, 2011, and 2017.
Conversations surrounding Johnny’s potential return emerges just over a year after his highly contentious defamation trial against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Although the trial’s outcome largely favored the actor, with a seven-person jury ruling in his favor, Amber did win one of her three counterclaims.
Despite hopeful anticipation from fans, Johnny’s representative clarified last June that reports of the actor’s return to the Pirates franchise for a staggering sum of $300 million were false.
During Johnny’s widely-publicized trial, producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed to The Times that his team was actively working on two Pirates scripts — one featuring Margot Robbie and another without her. Regarding the Lone Ranger star’s involvement, Jerry explained, “Not at this point,” but stated that the future remains undecided.
While industry insiders held differing opinions about Johnny’s prospects in Hollywoodfollowing the trial, a former Disney executive stated, “I absolutely believe post-verdict that Pirates is primed for rebooting with Johnny as Capt. Jack back on board. There is just too much potential box-office treasure for a beloved character deeply embedded in the Disney culture.”
The insider further emphasized the desire to bring back bankable Hollywood stars in highly popular franchises, citing Jerry Bruckheimer’s recent success with Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick as evidence of the audience’s appetite for such returns.
While the situation with Disney plays out, Johnny is set to direct the biopic Modi, which will explore the life of 20th-century painter Amedeo Modigliani. The actor is also in the middle of promoting his movie Jeanne du Barry, in which he portrays the role of Louis XV, the king of France who reigned from September 1715 until his death in 1774.
