Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is officially in development, but there are some major problems that the sequel must overcome if it’s going to succeed. The most obvious obstacle is Johnny Depp, whose involvement hasn’t yet been confirmed but seems almost necessary at this point to bring audiences back into this beloved world. However, it’s looking less likely that Depp will be returning as Captain Jack Sparrow in the near future, leaving Pirates of the Caribbean 6 without too many safe options.

The concept of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 has been floating around for a while, but things haven’t quite come together in the right way to make the sequel work yet. Beyond the casting issues, there’s also the problem of studio involvement. The most recent sequels didn’t perform very well at the box office, so it’s been difficult for the film’s crew to convince anybody that the film is even worth making. However, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is an opportunity for Disney to fix the series’ flaws and get people back on board with this franchise again.

Johnny Depp Returning As Jack Sparrow For Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Would Be Controversial After Various Scandals

The Actor Isn’t As Popular As He Once Was

Depp may have been a universally loved Hollywood star in his early career. Still, the actor has become much more controversial in recent years due to several public scandals surrounding his conduct and his turbulent defamation lawsuit with ex-wife Amber Heard. The court case was extremely public and widely reported, with Depp and Heard suffering major slights to their professional reputations. This is one of several reasons why Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean return may not be as desirable as it once was.

There’s no doubt that Johnny Depp is the face of the Pirates franchise, but even that may not be enough following the several controversies that he’s experienced over the past few years. His involvement would certainly make Pirates 6 a widely discussed project, but for all the wrong reasons.

In the years since his lawsuit, Depp has steered notably clear of major Hollywood productions, with most of his films either being produced in other countries (such as Jeanne du Barry) or going direct to streaming. Pirates 6 would likely be his first big-budget blockbuster in years, and it’s impossible to predict exactly how general audiences would respond to his return. This doesn’t seem like the safest route for the anticipated sequel to take, but it will be very hard to get the movie off the ground without his involvement.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Recasting Jack Sparrow Would Also Be Controversial

Audiences Wouldn’t Love The Idea Of A New Jack Sparrow

The other possibility is that Pirates of the Caribbean 6 could recast Captain Jack Sparrow with a totally new actor, but this would be controversial for a whole new set of reasons. This decision would likely rub long-term viewers the wrong way, as Depp’s performance is widely regarded as the best part of this adventure franchise. He completely embodies this character in a way that few actors have ever achieved, and it’s hard to imagine that any other actor could play Jack Sparrow with the same charm and charisma.

If Pirates 6 isn’t going to bring Johnny Depp back, it doesn’t make much sense to bring Captain Jack back either. The actor is so deeply connected with the character after so many years of playing him, that it would feel uncanny to see anybody else in the role. Pirates of the Caribbean without Jack Sparrow is a whole other kind of risk; there’s a chance that the sequel would end up feeling more like an unnecessary spin-off without the series’ most iconic character.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Leaving Out Jack Sparrow Is The Best & Worst Option

There’s No Easy Path Forward For Pirates 6

Ultimately, there are huge positives and negatives to both decisions. Even if Pirates 6 decides to pᴀss on Depp’s return in light of the recent scandals, the film still has to decide on whether Jack Sparrow can also be omitted. Losing Depp will certainly harm the film’s commercial success a little, but losing Jack Sparrow will probably hurt it even further. It would be difficult to market a Pirates of the Caribbean movie without the one character whom audiences have come to ᴀssociate so firmly with the series.

However, standing firm with the decision to remove Depp (and Jack Sparrow) from this franchise would be a strong way of turning a new leaf and pushing the series into the future. There have been several theories about Pirates of the Caribbean 6 and what it could be about, but the most logical course of action is for the upcoming sequel to leave the existing movies in the past and commit to forging a new path for itself with new heroes, new villains, and an entirely fresh story that softly reboots the franchise.

Jack Sparrow Will Probably Be In Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 One Way Or Another

The Franchise Has Never Let This Character Go Before

However, that’s much more easily said than done. The logistics of making a Pirates of the Caribbean movie without Jack Sparrow aren’t sensible; audiences fell in love with this series because of one specific character, so it’s unfair to expect them to return if that same figure isn’t. Jack Sparrow is the franchise, and it would be impossible to separate them without dramatic backlash and an unavoidable decrease in profit.

So, Jack Sparrow will almost certainly be back. But whether Depp returns is still up for debate, and it’s ultimately a question of timing. It’s probably still too soon for Depp to come back to this popular franchise, as the scandals are still very fresh. But if the crew waits too long, interest in Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will plummet. It’s been eight years since the last movie, and viewers are already beginning to stop caring about what happens to these characters. The question is a simple one: make the sixth installment soon without Depp or wait.