Johnny Depp is reportedly in discussions to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in a sixth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, according to producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
Bruckheimer stated that they are working on a screenplay for the potential film and hope to move forward with it. While Depp's Sparrow is being considered, insiders suggest the next film might be centered around a character played by Margot Robbie, with Sparrow in a more peripheral capacity.
This potential return for Depp would mark the first Pirates of the Caribbean film in nearly a decade, with the last installment, Dead Men Tell No Tales, released in 2017. Depp originated the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in the franchise's debut, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, in 2003. The film, which also starred Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Geoffrey Rush, was directed by Gore Verbinski and grossed over $654 million worldwide.
The franchise continued with several successful sequels, including Dead Man's Chest (2006), which earned more than $1.06 billion, and At World's End (2007), grossing $960 million. On Stranger Tides (2011), featuring Penélope Cruz and Ian McShane, garnered over $1.04 billion at the global box office. Collectively, the five films in the Pirates of the Caribbean series have accumulated more than $4.5 billion in worldwide revenue.
Bruckheimer had previously indicated that a Margot Robbie-led film was also in development, with screenwriter Ted Elliott working on a script for that project. He mentioned that two scripts were being developed at one point, with one eventually being favored.
Depp's involvement in the franchise had been uncertain following controversies. Screenwriter Stuart Beattie had suggested in 2018 that Depp might be concluding his run as Jack Sparrow, describing the role as his most famous and a significant part of his legacy.