Will Johnny Depp be Jack Sparrow again aboard the next Pirates of the Caribbean?

It is a confidence that has gone almost unnoticed. On the red carpet of the Oscars in support of the nominees Top Shooter: Maverickproducer Jerry Bruckheimer spoke briefly at the channel’s microphone EntertainmentTonight about the Pirates of the Caribbean saga, of which he is the protagonist. Under pressure from journalists, the dashing 70-year-old man confirmed for the first time that a new component was in development, six years after the previous one. “We are working on it. Let’s see what happens. We are very excited, I think we will have a great script, and we are close to it.“, he promised.

In Hollywood, the return of one of the most profitable franchises in film history — $4.5 billion in revenue from five films released between 2003 and 2012 — is no secret. The real question is, who is the headliner? Or rather, with or without Johnny Depp? During a high-profile lawsuit between the actor and Amber Heard last year, agent Christian Carino explained that Jack Sparrow’s translator was fired from the franchise at the request of Disney following allegations of domestic violence against him.

To turn the pages, new version hypothesis Pirates of the Caribbean “Female” with Margot Robbie as the headliner was considered very seriously a few months ago. But after the trial, everything changed. Johnny Depp’s fans have launched a petition online demanding his return. And the rumor of a stunning $300 million contract even circulated last summer, quickly debunked by the actor’s entourage. Until that famous Sunday interview with Jerry Bruckheimer…

When asked if the upcoming sixth Pirates of the Caribbean will feature Johnny Depp, the producer replied with a big smile:Let’s see. I would like. I’d like him to do a movie, that’s all I can tell you.That’s it… and that’s a lot. If the door is ajar, it’s probably because Jerry Bruckheimer has retained a real affection for the main stakeholder, even though his excesses weighed down on filming the latest series in Australia in 2017.

If a producer uses a shorthand, it’s because there are still obstacles in the way of the comeback that fans dream of. First, Disney will need to be convinced that there are more pros than cons to reviving Johnny Depp. In terms of image, while big studios are wary of slippage, which is bad on social media. But also from a purely economic point of view. If he’s become a click machine on people’s websites again, is the actor still the same? bank what before?

Finally, it remains to find out the will of the principal concerned. Blacklisted for trade since being evicted from part three fantastic beastsat the end of 2020, Johnny Depp returned to the set last summer for filming Jeanne du Barry in France under the direction of Maiwenn. The actress and director are said to be still editing as we write these lines. But all indications are that the film will be eligible for a world premiere next May at the Cannes Film Festival.

Between two gigs with hard rock band the Hollywood Vampires – also expected at Hellfest in June – the star is also preparing his second directorial film, a quarter of a century after the failure Brave. Also in France, he decided to shoot Modigliani, a feature film dedicated to the last years of the life of the famous artist, who died in Paris in 1920 at the age of 35. Suffice to say, his schedule is busy for several more months.

If Johnny Depp is likely to care about Jerry Bruckheimer’s claims, we can also imagine him waiting for a phone call from Bob Iger, Disney’s big boss, who is back in business just to bury the hatchet. During the lawsuit against Amber Heard, the actor humorously explained that he would never work with Disney again.”even for 300 million dollars and a million alpacas“Some of his fans took him at his word. And we were able to see a few of these adorable pets, cousins ​​of the llama, outside the Fairfax courthouse.

And if it was the public that put an end to the last resistance of the two camps? During his various appearances in recent years, Johnny Depp has regularly highlighted the special, if not unique, bond he has made with audiences since the beginning of his career. “Fans are real people who go to watch movies by paying for a ticket.“, he explained in September 2021 during his masterclass at the Deauville Festival.”They are my bosses. And they are studio bosses. It’s time for them to understand..”