Rumor: Johnny Depp To Return As Captain Jack Sparrow In 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' Film

A new rumor alleges that Johnny Depp will return to the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in a new Pirates of the Caribbean film.

Dempsey Pillot at The Disinsider shared that an inside source revealed that “Walt Disney Studios is quietly gearing up to begin production on the next installment of the series at one Hollywood sound stage” and that “this entry will feature the return of Depp!”

It was speculated back in May 2024 that Depp might return to the role of Captain Jack Sparrow after he was filmed inside Disneyland dressed up as the character.

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However, all other previous signs pointed to the fact that Depp was not returning. During his defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard, Depp testified he had no interest in returning to The Walt Disney Company. He was asked by Heard’s attorney Ben Rottenborn, “If Disney came to you with $300 million and a million alpacas nothing on this earth would get you to go back and work with Disney on a Pirates of the Caribbean film?”

Depp replied, “That is true, Mr. Rottenborn.”

Furthermore, after Depp’s sighting in the park, Pirates of the Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer indicated Depp was not part of Disney’s reboot plans for the franchise.

He told Entertainment Weekly, “It’s a reboot, but if it was up to me, [Johnny Depp] would be in it. I love him. He’s a good friend. He’s an amazing artist and he’s a unique look. He created Captain Jack. That was not on the page, that was him doing a little Pepé Le Pew and Keith Richards. That was his interpretation of Jack Sparrow.”

Bruckheimer went on to share that he was working on two different Pirates films, one with Margot Robbie and the other being the reboot. He explained, “It’s two different movies. We hope to get ’em both made, and I think Disney agrees they really want to make the Margot one, too.”

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The first film is from screenwriter Jeff Nathanson while the second is from Birds of Prey scribe Christina Hodson and has Robbie attached.

Bruckheimer explained that he believed Nathanson was close to finishing the first film, “I think he’s cracked it. He’s got an amazing third act. We just gotta clean up the first and second and then we’ll get there. But he wrote a great, great third act.”

However, in December 2024, Tatiana Siegel at Variety shared that one of the scripts Bruckheimer and company were working on “could bring Depp back into the fold if the actor and Disney can reconcile.”

A source told Siegel, “Nothing has been ruled out.”

What do you make of this new rumor?

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