Pirates of the Caribbean 6 has been a long time coming, and there are still all kinds of questions surrounding the upcoming film. Whether it will be a proper sequel, who will star in it (including questions about Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow), and more remain even eight years after the release of the previous film, ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales.

That is not because Disney has not been proactive about trying to find ways for the franchise to continue. Originally, two separate Pirates scripts were in development. One of these was a reboot of the franchise, and the other was a Pirates movie starring Margot Robbie as a new character.

However, the franchise has pivoted, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealing that the next Pirates film will be a “new take,” but not a complete reboot. It will combine new and old characters, making it seem like more of a legacy sequel. While some actors have expressed interest in returning, there is still no official word on the status of Jack Sparrow.

With how the last few years have gone for Depp, his return looks like a big problem for the sixth Pirates to overcome. Luckily, there is a path forward.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Needs To Merge Its Sequel Story & Margot Robbie Movie

It was previously reported that Margot Robbie’s movie was shelved, and while that was thought to be the end of the film’s development, perhaps Disney and Bruckheimer have found another way forward. Merging the reboot script and the Robbie movie would be the ideal choice for Pirates of the Caribbean 6.

The reboot script could have been reworked into the current version, with the new characters that Bruckheimer teased coming from there and being combined with returning characters. That could include Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) coming back, but also potentially still include Robbie’s franchise debut.

The Robbie version is generally considered to be the more exciting of the two former Pirates scripts, and while very few details were known, there are probably several elements from the female-led film that could be used in the next film. And instead of having her headline a complete reboot, allowing her to appear alongside franchise veterans would be smart.

One of the biggest lessons from On Stranger Tides and ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales is that it is hard to introduce interesting new protagonists so late in the game, as both of these sequels tried and failed to do. Pirates 6 needs to learn a lot from the franchise’s past failures in order to succeed, and this is one of the most important things to remember.

Margot Robbie’s POTC Character Could Be The Best Jack Sparrow Replacement

The biggest question surrounding Pirates 6 so far has to do with whether Jack Sparrow will be in the film. The public controversies surrounding Depp and previous comments regarding the franchise have made the actor’s return questionable. However, Jack Sparrow is the face of the Pirates franchise, and it would be difficult to market a sixth film without him.

If Jack Sparrow doesn’t return, the franchise will have a major hole that it has to fill. They would need a character as zany and as competent as Jack, and that character must be played by an actor with the same pull that Depp had in the early 2000s. While this would be a challenge, Robbie is a modern movie star who could pull this off.

Robbie is one of the most popular actors working today, with her being one of the faces of the DCU and starring in mᴀssive box office hits like Barbie. She has become a household name and is a proven success in action comedy movies as well as major studio blockbusters. After starring in films like The Suicide Squad, Robbie can easily headline a movie as big as Pirates 6.

Plus, Robbie has already played a character exactly like Jack Sparrow. Much like Jack, Harley Quinn is a comedic troublemaker who is incredibly skilled at what she does. She annoys those around her, but always proves herself to be the superior combatant when it comes down to it.

Even though she won’t literally be playing Depp’s character, all of this highlights how she can play a Sparrow type. Robbie’s addition alongside several returning characters would cause Pirates 6 to make a big splash in a way that almost no other Depp replacement could.

Whether she gets the chance to do so remains undetermined. There’s no word on her current involvement in the franchise. Robbie seemed eager to join the series, so she may jump on the opportunity to participate differently. This would help Pirates of the Caribbean 6 move on from Depp’s character and benefit the series long term.