Tom Holland just cashed one of the biggest checks in Hollywood history, and now he might be about to jump into an entirely different Disney universe.
Word is he’s in early talks for Pirates of the Caribbean 6, and the timing couldn’t be juicier considering the franchise is already going through a massive shakeup involving Johnny Depp and Margot Robbie. Here’s everything we know so far.
Early Talks, Big Potential
Ram News dropped the news first, reporting that Tom Holland is in early talks with Disney for a spot in Pirates of the Caribbean 6. As they put it, “Tom Holland could be heading from the Marvel universe into another major Disney franchise. The actor is reportedly in early talks with Disney for a potential role in Pirates of the Caribbean 6.” If this actually turns into a real deal, Holland would be running two massive blockbuster franchises at once, on top of his Spider-Man gig. Keep in mind, these talks are still early stage with zero official casting locked in, but fans are already going wild picturing Holland trading web shooters for a pirate’s compass.
Catch Up: Here’s What’s Actually Happening With Pirates 6
To get why this is such a big deal, you need the full picture of what’s been going down with Pirates lately. Fans have spent nearly ten years wondering if Captain Jack Sparrow was ever coming back after 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales underperformed, not to mention Johnny Depp’s very public legal drama on top of it.
That all changed at the 2026 D23 Fan Expo, when producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed talks with Depp are actually happening. Speaking to Deadline right after getting his Disney Legends honor, Bruckheimer said, “We’re talking to Johnny. We’re working on a screenplay. Hopefully, we can get this done.” That’s about as close to confirmation as you’re going to get that Disney and Depp are patching things up after everything fell apart back in 2018 following the domestic abuse allegations from ex-wife Amber Heard.
But here’s the plot twist nobody saw coming. According to Deadline, Depp’s Jack Sparrow won’t actually be running the show this time. The sixth movie is expected to center on a brand new lead character played by Margot Robbie instead, bumping Sparrow down to a supporting role. Robbie’s been linked to some version of a Pirates project for years now, and it sounds like her storyline finally got folded into the main sequel instead of staying its own separate spinoff. Considering how huge Robbie’s box office draw has been since Barbie, plus her action chops from Birds of Prey, putting her front and center actually makes a ton of sense for a franchise trying to grow past just one character.
Why Holland’s Getting This Kind of Attention Right Now
Holland’s potential Pirates involvement is landing at basically the peak moment of his career financially. He’s set to pocket more than $100 million off Spider-Man: Brand New Day alone, a number that puts him right up there with Hollywood’s highest paid actors period, and it’s happening alongside another massive 2026 hit for him, The Odyssey.
According to people familiar with the deal, Holland got a base salary of at least $20 million upfront for Brand New Day, a $10 million bump from his last Spider-Man contract, with the total potentially blowing past $100 million once his uncapped backend bonuses kick in. One insider put it bluntly: “He will make at least” $100 million, refusing to guess how much higher it could actually climb. And the movie’s numbers back that up hard. Spider-Man: Brand New Day blew past $2 billion globally in just three weeks, fueled by a record breaking $927 million global opening and a $360 million domestic opening that shattered the all time record.
That’s a massive leap for a guy who made just $500,000 for his very first Spider-Man appearance in Spider-Man: Homecoming, then $4 million for Spider-Man: Far From Home, then $10 million for Spider-Man: No Way Home. His whole trajectory is basically following the same path Robert Downey Jr. took as Iron Man, and one media exec straight up called Holland “the new Robert Downey Jr.” Downey Jr. started at $500,000 too before eventually clearing $100 million combined for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Actor Tom Hollander actually gave fans a peek at how insane these Marvel bonus checks get, telling Late Night With Seth Meyers he once mistakenly got a check meant for Holland tied to Avengers: Infinity War, calling it “an astonishing amount of money… a seven-figure sum,” and that was just the first bonus, not the whole thing.
Why This Move Actually Makes Sense for Disney
With Jack Sparrow getting bumped to a supporting role and Margot Robbie stepping up as the new lead, Disney’s clearly trying to grow this franchise way past its original signature character, basically running the same playbook Marvel’s used for years to bring in fresh headline stars. Tossing Holland into the mix, with his proven box office track record, would give the studio some serious insurance heading into a relaunch after nearly ten years of the franchise sitting dormant.
What This Could Mean for Your Next Disney Trip
If you’re a fan of the actual Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland or Walt Disney World, a full franchise relaunch with this kind of star power attached is worth watching closely. Big new Disney movies almost always mean updated ride overlays, fresh merch, and special events tied to the release. If Pirates 6 actually comes together with this cast, don’t be shocked if that energy spills over into the parks themselves, whether that’s limited time theming, special experiences, or promo tie-ins timed to the movie’s release.
Are you here for where Pirates of the Caribbean 6 seems to be headed, Margot Robbie leading, Tom Holland possibly joining the crew? Let us know in the comments what you’re hoping to see from this next chapter.
