Pirates of the Caribbean 6 has been confirmed, yet the biggest question looming over the sequel is whether Johnny Depp will be back. He made his debut as Jack Sparrow in 2003’s The Curse of the Black Pearl and has starred in every Pirates of the Caribbean movie since. However, the franchise’s last movie hit theaters in 2017 (and received very disappointing reviews).

Since the release of ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales, Depp has been involved in several controversies, mostly involving his highly publicized divorce from Amber Heard. Because of these off-screen controversies, it seemed like he would not reprise his role as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean 6. For a while, it appeared likely the next Pirates movie would feature a brand-new cast.

However, after several years out of the spotlight, Depp made his return to acting in 2023. Therefore, it now seems like he, along with several other actors from the other movies, will return in Pirates of the Caribbean 6. His potential return is a divisive decision for the franchise to navigate, which may explain the film’s difficulty in moving forward.

It Sounds Like Johnny Depp’s Return Could Be What’s Holding Up Pirates Of The Caribbean 6

Recently, an optimistic update about the actor’s involvement in the franchise’s next movie came from producer Jerry Bruckheimer. He confirmed that the movie will be a reboot, but claimed that he still wants Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean 6. In the interview, the producer revealed that the current version of the movie includes Jack Sparrow and said, “If it was up to me, he would be in it.”

This is not the first time Bruckheimer has expressed his desire to have Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean 6. He clearly wants the franchise star back as part of the cast, and it would be surprising if Depp turned down the chance to reprise his iconic role, which he clearly loves, even if the script is not complete.

The fact that an announcement such as this hasn’t been made could be telling. If the current version of the script includes Jack Sparrow and potentially other fan-favorite characters, announcing this would create tons of hype, especially if Bruckheimer and Depp are on board. Therefore, perhaps Disney is the party that isn’t in favor of Depp’s return.

If this is the case, then conflict between Disney and Bruckheimer could be the reason development on Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is moving so slowly. Bruckheimer’s recent comments suggest that the decision to bring Depp back is out of his hands, so there’s a chance the studio still doesn’t want to ᴀssociate with the actor, despite the demand for him to return.

This is not confirmed, and instead is more speculation based on potential clues. But it makes some sense. Disney prides itself on being a family-friendly brand, so it wouldn’t be surprising if some executives were still bothered by the controversies surrounding Depp.

If there is any behind-the-scenes conflict, hopefully it can be resolved soon so we can finally receive some firm updates about the highly anticipated Pirates of the Caribbean 6.