Johnny Depp has had a long and wildly successful career as a character actor, including a number of beloved titles. Chief among them is Pirates of the Caribbean, where he starred in all five Pirates movies. There are a few future movies in development right now, but it doesn't seem like the Edward Scissorhands actor is going to be included. And producer Jerry Bruckheimer offered hope about Johnny Depp returning as Jack Sparrow.
Ever since Depp's defamation verdict was revealed, the actor has been laying low and staying out of the Hollywood lifestyle. It was revealed that Disney was moving on with Pirates without the actor, which got a strong reaction from fans, although fans have petitioned to see Depp return as Jack Sparrow. When speaking with ET, Bruckheimer seemed to offer hope for fans who want to see the Finding Neverland actor back as everyone's favorite drunken pirate. In his words:
If it was up to me, of course. I'd love having him back in the movie. He's fabulous. He's a great actor and good friend... I've certainly spoken to him, but we'll see what happens
There you have it. It sounds like Jerry Bruckheimer has nothing but positive things to say about Johnny Depp, despite any personal issues that he's had over the years. Indeed, he's mostly become synonymous with his relationship with Amber Heard in recent years. But we'll have to see if Disney decides to bring back Jack Sparrow, or if the studio continues to distance itself from the 60 year-old actor.
Despite there being two Pirates movies being developed, it's hard to imagine the franchise (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) without protagonist Jack Sparrow. So the pressure will be on if/when those two movies finally make its way to theaters.
While Bruckheimer likes Johnny Depp as a person and as a collaborator, it's unclear if/when the actor might return to mainstream Hollywood projects. After the defamation trial ended, he has been living in Europe and getting some much-needed privacy. He's been dipping his toe back into the professional world, but not with any major film studios like Disney.
Instead, he's been working on unique projects. His first post-trial movie Jeanne du Barry is a french film that's only recently gotten released in the states. He's also gotten behind the camera, directing an upcoming movie whose cast includes greats like Robert de Niro. Still, his fans are hoping to see him back in some mainstream Hollywood projects, such as a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
It's currently unclear if/when the two developing Pirates movies will actually arrive in theaters. Hopefully we get more information sooner rather than later. In the meantime, check the 2024 movie release dates.
