Even if Pirates of the Caribbean 6 appeared without warning tomorrow, I’m afraid the sequel would already have broken an unenviable record for the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is taking its time making it to theaters. The first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies were released between 2003 and 2007, while On Stranger Tides didn’t arrive until 2011. Its next sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales, took another six years to arrive in theaters in 2017 and was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews.

However, from Pirates of the Caribbean 6’s uncertain Johnny Depp return to the franchise’s canceled Margot Robbie reboot, it is fair to say that the next sequel is the slowest of the series so far. Even though it has been almost eight years since Pirates of the Caribbean: ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales was released, there is no sign of another sequel to the series arriving anytime soon. It is still not clear whether Depp or any other series stars will return to the next installment, or if Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will be a full-blown franchise reboot.

The Wait For Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Is Already The Longest In The Franchise

The Pirates of the Caribbean Movies Never Needed More Than Six Years Between Outings

Even if Pirates of the Caribbean 6 was already ready to release, it would still be too late for the series to avoid one unfortunate record. The wait for Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is already the longest in the history of the blockbuster series, comfortably beating the six-year wait between On Stranger Tides and ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales. Before that disappointing sequel arrived in 2017, the four-year gap between the original trilogy and On Stranger Tides represented a major change from the second and third movies.

While there was a three-year wait between The Curse of the Black Pearl’s 2003 sleeper success and 2006’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man’s Chest, the next sequel, At World’s End, arrived only a year later. Although all the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels have problems, it was tough to fault the original trilogy’s release schedule. The longer wait between the original movie and its first sequel built up hype while releasing At World’s End shortly after ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man’s Chest capitalized on the franchise’s popularity.

Why The Next Pirates Of The Caribbean Movie Is Taking So Long

Johnny Depp’s Uncertain Franchise Future Doesn’t Help The Series

In contrast, the long wait for Pirates of the Caribbean 6 seemingly proves the franchise has no future plan set in stone. Margot Robbie was rumored to be working on a female-led reboot of the series in 2020 but, by early 2024, this reboot was seemingly ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in the water despite Barbie’s historic box-office success. Now, the question of whether Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will be a direct sequel to ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales, a reboot with a new cast, or a spinoff from the original series remains unclear.

Despite how lucrative the series has historically been, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has no clear path forward. Johnny Depp was let go from the series after ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales, but it is not clear whether he will return in Pirates of the Caribbean 6. The Pirates of the Caribbean movies have unfinished Jack Sparrow storylines that a direct sequel could revisit, but it is worth noting that the franchise’s two Depp-led sequels earned far worse reviews than the original trilogy. Thus, his comeback may not be the guaranteed success fans may hope for.

What Will Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Actually Look Like?

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 Could Be A Spinoff A Sequel Or A Reboot

While Depp has a large and vocal fan base, On Stranger Tides was met with largely negative reviews and ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales was both a box-office disappointment and a critical failure. Johnny Depp’s presence alone might not save Pirates of the Caribbean 6 and could even prove a liability for the sequel, leaving the franchise feeling profoundly unmoored 22 years after the original movie’s box office success. If the series does drop Depp, there are many options open for its future, but none are sure to succeed.

A spinoff could expand on the world of the series and bring back existing characters, but could feel inessential without major players returning. Pirates of the Caribbean’s original trilogy subplots were confusing enough without more lore, so this option may fail. However, a Pirates of the Caribbean reboot that drops the entire original cast could feel like a mere retread of the original and end up appealing to no one. Thus, it is easy to see why Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is taking so long, since the Pirates of the Caribbean movies don’t know what to do next.