Will Johnny Depp Return to ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Movies?

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Johnny Depp has portrayed many characters throughout his nearly 40-year career, but one of his most notable is Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Since the 58-year-old portrayed the protagonist in all five films, he played a huge role in the franchise’s success.

However, it was revealed that the upcoming sixth installment would set sail without Depp, and it’s speculated that the decision is largely due to the drama surrounding his legal battle with ex-wife and Aquaman actress Amber Heard.

With the six-week long defamation trial officially at an end—and the jury ruling mostly in Depp’s favor—will Captain Jack Sparrow make a triumphant return?

Here’s everything we know about whether or not Depp will return to the Pirates franchise:

Why Was Johnny Depp Let Go from the Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise?

Depp and Heard married in 2015 after three years of dating. She filed for divorce in May 2016 and alleged that he was physically abusive throughout the course of the relationship. The divorce was settled in 2016 with the pair reaching a $7 million settlement.

In 2018, she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post titled “I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change.” While Heard never mentioned Depp by name, it was implied that he was the subject given the timeframe and Heard’s previous accusations. Depp sued Heard for defamation in March 2019, but by then, the damage had already been done.

Related: Amber Heard Posts Emotional Response To Trial Verdict On Instagram

Days after the publication of Heard’s op-ed, it was revealed that Depp would no longer be part of the Pirates franchise. Disney never confirmed that Depp’s personal life played a role in the decision, rather noting that the creative forces behind the film were looking to “bring in a new energy and vitality,” per The Hollywood Reporter.

Roughly three years later, Depp announced on Instagram that Warner Bros. asked him to “resign” from playing Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise. “I have respected and agreed to that request,” he explained.

Will Johnny Depp Be in the Sixth Pirates Movie?

Depp’s victory in the defamation trial has renewed public interest in his future with the franchise. While there are conflicting views on whether his career could bounce back from the accusations and all the personal details revealed during the trial, a tide is turning as the actor has seen an outpouring of support from the public — including some film executives.

One former Disney exec seems to think Depp could return to the franchise soon.

Related: Twitter Reacts to Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Verdict

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“I absolutely believe post-verdict that Pirates is primed for rebooting with Johnny as Capt. Jack back on board,” the unnamed source told PEOPLE. “There is just too much potential box-office treasure for beloved character deeply embedded in the Disney culture.”

“With [producer] Jerry Bruckheimer riding high on the massive success of Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick, there is huge appetite for bringing back bankable Hollywood stars in massively popular franchises,” the insider adds.

Disney has yet to provide a comment.

Does Johnny Have Any Interest In Reprising His Role in Pirates of the Caribbean?

Following the contentious six-week trial, Depp celebrated his victory on social media by thanking everyone for their support and promising his fans that the “best is yet to come.”

But does the best include Captain Jack Sparrow? Is he even interested in reprising the role in the present-day?

Related: Johnny Depp’s Attorneys Speak Outside Courtroom: “We Are Grateful”

Depp revealed during the defamation trial that he would never work with Disney again.

Per Variety, Heard’s attorney Ben Rottenborn asked the actor: “The fact is, Mr. Depp, 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? Correct?”

“That is correct, Mr. Rottenborn,” Depp agreed.

At the moment, Depp is not attached to a potential sixth installment of the franchise, and it appears he doesn’t have any interest in reprising the role or any other role involving the movie studio.

What Pirates of the Caribbean Films Did Johnny Depp Appear In?

Depp’s portrayal of Jack Sparrow in the original 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl earned him an Oscar nomination. He reprised the character in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017).