Pirates of the Caribbean franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer teases returning cast members in the upcoming sixth installment. The project has been in development since Pirates of the Caribbean: ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales was in the works, but in light of Amber Heard’s abuse allegations, Disney dropped the lead star, Johnny Depp, from the franchise. During Depp’s defamation trial against Heard, the Jack Sparrow star expressed that he had no interest in returning.

In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Ash Crossan for F1, which will be released on June 27, Bruckheimer offers an update on Pirates of the Caribbean 6‘s cast and the sequel’s current status. The franchise producer revealed that they are still working on the script, which will be “a new take,” but it won’t be a brand-new cast. Bruckheimer confirmed that some members would return. Check out his comments below:

Jerry Bruckheimer: We’re working on a screenplay. Hopefully we’ll get it right — and then we’ll make it. We really want to make it, that’s for sure.

ScreenRant: A continuation or something new?

Bruckheimer: It’ll be a new take on it.

ScreenRant: New take, new actors?

Jerry Bruckheimer: Well, not all new actors. We’ll have some back.

ScreenRant: Okay…

Bruckheimer: I’m not going to tell you which ones — you’ll have to guess.

What Jerry Bruckheimer’s Comment Means For Pirates Of The Caribbean 6

Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Will Feature Familiar Faces

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has mainly revolved around Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), and Jack Sparrow, but several beloved characters have been able to appear in multiple films and serve to enrich the fantasy world, including Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), Joshamee Gibbs (Kevin McNally), Calypso (Naomie Harris), Pintel (Lee Arenberg), and Ragetti (Mackenzie Crook). Pirates of the Caribbean 5 further sets up potential storylines with the introduction of Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites) and Carina Barbossa (Kaya Scodelario).

Bruckheimer’s comments confirm that even though the plot of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 won’t pick up after ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales‘ ending, the movie will still take place in the same world at sea, which will inevitably feature some familiar faces. As of now, Bruckheimer isn’t at liberty to confirm who will be back, which makes sense since the script is still in the works. The producer’s comments also offer an update on the movie’s status and explain the lack of solid news.

Our Take On Pirates Of The Caribbean 6’s Latest Update

Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Might Need More Than Returning Cast Members

It sounds like Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is still in early development, with many details still unknown and under wraps. Without a finished script, it’s hard to tell who will be back, but the fact that some will return is great news. It means that the studio isn’t looking to build a completely new world, but to tell a new story that will serve as a starting point while building on the franchise’s legacy. However, not continuing on ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales‘ plot points could potentially mean the franchise might be moving away from previous storylines.

With the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie having already set up an interesting story, not picking up from it might serve as a disadvantage if the new story isn’t exciting enough. There have been rumors about Depp in advance talks to reprise his role as Jack Sparrow and who might serve as his replacement, but there is no official word on either. Bruckheimer’s comments suggest that everything is still in flux.