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Actor Johnny Depp is synonymous with his character of the rum-soaked pirate Captain Jack Sparrow from thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise. The $4 billion franchise has been headlined by Depp since its first filmPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearland is the only actor from the series, along with Geoffrey Rush’s Hector Barbosa to be featured in all the films of the franchise.
The lastPiratesfilm wasPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which was a critical and commercial failure. While a sixth film was planned, Depp was ousted from the franchise due to his highly publicized domestic abuse allegations from ex-wife Amber Heard. Amidst speculations regarding the sixth film of the franchise,The Last of Uscreator Craig Mazin revealed that his pitch for the sixthPiratesfilm was picked up by Disney.
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Johnny Depp As Captain Jack Sparrow
While the hunt is on to find a suitable replacement forJohnny Deppin subsequentPiratesfilms, one can see why it is a task that is next to impossible. The actor defined the role, breathed life into it, and gave the character an iconography that has become part of pop culture.
Johnny Depp’s casting was not instantly approved by Disney during the development ofPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The studio wanted Matthew McConaughey for the role as he resembled actor Burt Lancaster, the inspiration for the character. The studio also pushed for Christopher Walken or Cary Elwes for Jack Sparrow.
However, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski thought that Johnny Depp brought a certain edge to the character, who was not supposed to be the protagonist of the film. Depp drew inspiration from the body language of rockstars for his portrayal of the pirate. He found similarities between rockstars and pirates and based his performance on Keith Richards, who ended up playing Sparrow’s father in the thirdPiratesfilm.
The Curse of the Black Pearlwas a surprise blockbuster, earning over $650 million globally. It spawned four sequels, the last of which was branded as the weakest entry in the franchise. Rumors of the franchise being rebooted with a different actor started making the rounds after Disney cut off ties with Depp after the domestic abuse allegations surfaced.
Also read:“I think you can act”: Nicolas Cage Called Johnny Depp an “Overnight Sensation” After Helping Actor Land His Debut in $54M Classic
Will Johnny Depp Return To ThePiratesFranchise?
Currently, there has been no news about whether the next installment in thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise will be a sequel or a reboot. WhileBarbieactress Margot Robbie was rumored to have been cast as a replacement for Johnny Depp, there have been announcements.
Creator of the HBO showThe Last Of UsCraig Mazin recently revealed that he had pitched a reboot of the franchise to Disney and that it had been picked up by the studio. Mazin mentioned that he agreed to work on the project if the studio was willing to bring back screenwriter Ted Elliott for the film. Elliott wrote all thePiratesfilms except the fifth one. Disney agreed to the condition.
Talking about the project with the Los Angeles Times, he said,
“We pitched it and thought there’s no way they’re buying it, it’s too weird. And they did! And then he wrote a fantastic script and the strike happened and everyone’s waiting around.”
The Craig MazinPiratesfilm was reported to be a reboot and the film was in development until this year’s WGA strike. However, the chances of Johnny Depp returning are slim. Disney has been non-committal about the possibilities of Depp’s return and the actor has also mentioned in court that he was disappointed with the way the studio handled the situation. While Depp did mention that he would return if the script was good and Mazin has assured that the script is ‘fantastic’, only the end of the WGA strike will reveal the answers. It all depends on Disney now.
Source:LA Times
Also read:‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ is Not the Only Iconic Movie Johnny Depp Has Stolen From Jim Carrey
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2415
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
