Johnny Depp is in talks to return to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, according to franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
Speaking in a carpet interview with Deadline Hollywood at Disney’s annual expo D23, Bruckheimer offered an update on the long-burgeoning sixth entry in the “Pirates” series, floating that the production is working on bringing Depp back.
“We’re talking to Johnny. We’re working on a screenplay. Hopefully we can get this done,” Bruckheimer said.
Representatives for Depp, Bruckheimer and Disney did not respond to a request for comment.
A reunion would return Depp to one of his most iconic roles. The original “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” was credited with revitalizing the star’s career when it released in 2003, solidifying him as a blockbuster marquee draw and even earning him an Oscar nomination for best actor. He has since led four sequels.
While the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise has been on ice since its fifth entry, “Dead Men Tell No Tales,” opened in 2017, there has been a series of public updates regarding the development of the next installment. “Deadpool” writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick were initially hired for a follow-up before Craig Mazin and Ted Elliott were reported to have taken over duties. In September 2025, Bruckheimer confirmed to TheWrap that reports of Margot Robbie circling the project were true and stated that producers had developed two scripts at one point.
Running parallel to those years of development, Depp has both exited and re-entered the Hollywood mainstream after a series of legal troubles. In 2022, Depp was favored by a jury in a defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard, which claimed that a 2018 op-ed she had written accused Depp of sexual violence and domestic abuse, ruining his career. Both Heard and Depp appealed their respective verdicts in the 2022 trial before reaching a settlement.
During the trial, Depp testified about a Daily Mail article in 2018 that reported he was “out as Jack Sparrow,” stating that “I wasn’t aware of that, but it doesn’t surprise me. Two years had gone by of constant worldwide talk about me being this wife beater. So I’m sure that Disney was trying to cut ties to be safe.” In 2020, Depp exited Warner Bros.’ “Fantastic Beasts” franchise after losing a libel case against The Sun, which had reported him to be a “wife beater.”
Since the trial, Depp has mounted a return to Hollywood productions. He is leading Paramount’s “Ebenezer,” a high-budget take on “A Christmas Carol” slated to open in November, as well as Lionsgate’s coming 2027 thriller “Day Drinker.” He promoted “Ebenezer” through an in-character appearance at San Diego Comic-Con in July.
Back in 2022, amidst Depp’s lawsuit against Heard, Bruckheimer was asked by The Sunday Times if the “Pirates” star could potentially return to the franchise. “Not at this point,” he answered, before adding that “the future is yet to be decided.”
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