Is Disney working on another Pirates of the Caribbean film? All you need to know

The Pirates of the Caribbean film series has grossed over $4.5 billion worldwide. This makes it the 16th-highest-grossing film series of all time. In an era of film marked by remakes and retreads, the latest news about the franchise fits into the current foundational climate of movie-making.

According to a report by The DisInsider, a reputed news source for all things Disney, there are rumblings that a new Pirates of the Caribbean film is currently in the works. What’s more, eight years after the release of Dead Men Tell No Tales, Johnny Depp may be reprising his rockstar-inspired Captain Jack Sparrow for the rumored installment, though no official timelines have been shared as of yet.

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As recently as December, Variety had reported that “nothing had been ruled out” regarding Depp’s return to the Disney banner for the film, with his legal woes firmly in the rear-view.

Up until that moment, it was said that representatives of Disney had not broached the topic with Depp, but there was a script in development that involved his return if an agreement from the studio was in the cards according to the same Variety report.

Disney had famously cut ties with Depp following accusations of spousal abuse by former partner Amber Heard, via an op-ed in the Washington Post. The Post report paired with a highly publicized trial, drew the ire of the studio who prides itself on maintaining a watchful eye on the character of its collaborators. In response, Depp vowed never to collaborate with the studio moving forward, although the latest reports suggest a path to reconciliation is on the table.

Earlier in 2024, when speaking with Entertainment Weekly, super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer shed light on the franchise as it stood at the time, divulging that there were two scripts out there waiting to be put to work for the fans,

“It’s two different movies. We hope to get ’em both made, and I think Disney agrees they really want to make the Margot [Robbie] one, too.”

Bruckheimer is seemingly at the front lines of the campaign to reinstate Depp. Not only do they share a close personal relationship, but his advocacy for Johnny dates back to 2023 when Bruckheimer first shared that he was working on a potential return to the franchise for the embattled star, claiming a screenplay was already in the works.