Summary
- A
Pirates of the Caribbean
reboot is confirmed, offering a new story with new actors. - Craig Mazin’s unique approach to the reboot project, stalled by strikes, could potentially bring a fresh and “weird” perspective to the series.
- Despite the reboot, there is still a possibility for Johnny Depp to return as Jack Sparrow and for the Margot Robbie-led movie to happen in the future.
The next installment in the hugely popular Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will be a reboot, producer Jerry Bruckheimer has confirmed. Speaking with Comicbook.com, Bruckheimer, who has been behind the likes of the Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Bad Boys, Pirates of the Caribbean, and National Treasure franchises, revealed that the next Pirates movie will be a new story with new actors (as well as offering an update on the next Top Gun movie).
“It’s hard to tell. You don’t know, you really don’t know. You don’t know how they come together. You just don’t know. Because with Top Gun you have an actor who is iconic and brilliant. And how many movies he does before he does Top Gun, I can’t tell you. But we’re gonna reboot Pirates, so that is easier to put together because you don’t have to wait for certain actors.”
Since the release of Dead Men Tell No Tales back in 2017, several ideas for how to continue the franchise have been pitched. These include a sixth movie following on from the 2017 effort, and a new tale with Barbie star Margot Robbie in the lead. The reboot revealed by Bruckheimer is not either of these, with the studio instead seemingly deciding to go in an entirely different direction.
The Pirates of the Caribbean reboot alluded to by Bruckheimer, however, could be the project penned by The Last of Us’ Craig Mazin, who said last year that his “weird” approach had been delayed by strikes.
“We pitched it and thought there’s no way they’re buying it, it’s too weird. And they did! And then he wrote a fantastic script and the strike happened and everyone’s waiting around.”
Will Johnny Depp Ever Return & Could the Margot Robbie Movie Still Happen?
While the franchise is now getting a reboot, this does not necessarily mean that Johnny Depp could not be brought back into the fray at some stage. Nor does it mean the Margot Robbie-led movie will never happen. As the likes of Sony’s Spider-Verse and the MCU have shown, franchise filmmaking can include all manner of spinoffs and other stories alongside the main series.
For his part, Johnny Depp has said he would consider working with Disney again following the conclusion of the various legal issues stemming from his marriage to actress and Aquaman star Amber Heard. “Anything is possible. If it’s the right project, he’ll do it,” said an insider about Depp’s potential return to the House of Mouse.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Does the Franchise Really Need Johnny Depp?
Johnny Depp has become a staple in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Do they still need him or can the franchise survive without his character?
Bruckheimer has also spoken positively about bringing Depp’s Jack Sparrow back for more. Discussing the prospect in February last year, the producer said:
“He’s just so good at what he does and actors recover from things like this,” Bruckheimer said back in February. “He’s a good individual and he’s a caring individual. He’s somebody that you can rely on and he’s just terrific. I think Johnny is an utter friend and an amazing artist and, again, you go through things in life you wish you hadn’t, but he’s still a talented artist.”
