Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is officially in the works, and while the upcoming sequel is still shrouded in mystery, this casting update has been reᴀssuring for fans among the uncertainty. After the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales, the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise was in flux, with nobody knowing what is coming next. Now in 2025, the first details regarding the state of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 are finally coming out, and it may be closer to the original films than what many had thought.

Thanks to the critical failures of the last two films and Johnny Depp’s comments about returning for Pirates of the Caribbean 6, it seemed as if a proper sequel wasn’t going to happen for a while. It was eventually announced that the next Pirates of the Caribbean would be a revival, following a female protagonist on a new adventure, with Margot Robbie’s name being thrown around for a while. Later, it was revealed that two Pirates of the Caribbean scripts were in the works, one focused on new characters and the other with Jack Sparrow. Luckily, more news about the characters in the sixth film is finally here.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Is Officially Bringing Back Some Familiar Cast Members

It Won’t All Be New Cast Members

As it turns out, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will be bringing back some returning characters from the previous movies. Franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer teased the future of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 in an interview with ScreenRant, where he was asked about the scripts that are in development. Bruckheimer explained that the upcoming film will be “a new take” on the franchise, and when asked about potential new actors, the producer replied “not all new actors.” However, he declined to state which actors would be returning. Here are his full comments:

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.

So, these comments make it clear that some characters from the previous movies will be returning for Pirates of the Caribbean 6. This has caused all sorts of speculation, as no specific actors or characters are hinted at. Bruckheimer’s wording also implies that more than one Pirates of the Caribbean actor will be returning, meaning that the film won’t be just one returning character alongside a new cast. However, it also implies that there will still be some new characters. Thus, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 could be a legacy sequel similar to movies like Star Wars: The Force Awakens or Jurᴀssic World Dominion.

Which Pirates Of The Caribbean Characters Are Most Likely To Return

Based On What The Actors Have Said

While Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow is the biggest name in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, it is impossible to tell if he will return in the sixth film. It could be that Bruckheimer is simply referring to characters from Pirates of the Caribbean: ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales, which would make sense if Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is a direct sequel. This would mean that Henry Turner and Carina Smith could return, although it could be that the time gap between movies causes Disney to want to stay away from the poorly-received sequel.

One of the most likely candidates for a Pirates of the Caribbean 6 return is Orlando Bloom, who has been vocal about his desire to return to the franchise. While Keira Knightley previously stated that she didn’t want to return, Bloom has expressed a desire for her to return, meaning that they may have had discussions about it away from the public eye.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Mixing Returning Stars With New Actors Makes Sense

It Could Set Up The Future Of The Franchise

If Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is really a “new take” on the franchise, then mixing new and old stars may be the way to go. Tons of legacy sequels have found success focusing on new characters and using old characters as supporting cast members, and Pirates of the Caribbean 6 could follow this strategy. Bringing back Will Turner and the rest of the gang would be great, but the new additions to Pirates of the Caribbean 6‘s cast could be the ones who set up the franchise’s future.