‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Reportedly Focusing on Jack Sparrow’s Child Moving Forward
Disney’s next voyage to the Caribbean is taking shape, and while the studio hasn’t officially confirmed who will step aboard, the conversation continues to circle back to one name: Johnny Depp.
More than 20 years after Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) turned a theme park attraction into a billion-dollar franchise, Disney is developing a new chapter in the saga. But as momentum builds on Pirates of the Caribbean 6, the biggest question remains whether Captain Jack Sparrow will once again chart the course.
When Depp debuted as Jack Sparrow in 2003, the performance recalibrated expectations for blockbuster leads. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, The Curse of the Black Pearl was initially viewed inside Disney as a gamble. Depp’s eccentric interpretation reportedly caused internal concern. Instead, it became the franchise’s defining ingredient, transforming a ride adaptation into a cultural and commercial juggernaut.
The sequels followed in rapid succession: Dead Man’s Chest (2006), At World’s End (2007), On Stranger Tides (2010), and Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017). Across those installments, Sparrow evolved into the emotional center of the series, joined by Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner and Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth Swann, whose romance anchored the overarching narrative.
As the box office climbed into the billions, so did Depp’s payday. By the release of Dead Men Tell No Tales, he reportedly earned $90 million, illustrating just how closely the franchise’s fortunes were tied to Sparrow.
That changed amid Depp’s legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard. In 2020, Depp lost a U.K. libel case against The Sun and News Group Newspapers LTD over domestic abuse allegations. Justice Andrew Nicol ruled the claims were “substantially true,” a judgment that had immediate repercussions in Hollywood.
Disney cut ties with Depp. Warner Bros. also moved on, recasting Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts series with Mads Mikkelsen for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022). The film faltered critically and commercially, and plans for further installments were shelved.
The dispute escalated in 2022 with a televised defamation trial in Virginia. Depp sued Heard for $50 million over a Washington Post op-ed; Heard countersued for $100 million. After six weeks, the jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages (later reduced), while Heard received $2 million in compensatory damages.
The proceedings dominated news cycles. During testimony, Depp was asked if he would ever return to Pirates. Referencing “$300 million and a million alpacas,” he indicated he had no intention of going back.
Yet Hollywood has a long memory—and a short one. In the months after the verdict, speculation intensified that Depp might reconsider. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has consistently maintained that Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is in active development and has not concealed his interest in working with Depp again.
While promoting F1 (2025), Bruckheimer offered an update to Screen Rant’s Ash Crossan that suggested the new film won’t completely sever ties to the past.
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?
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.
That ambiguity has only fueled speculation. Earlier this month, Orlando Bloom addressed a possible return during an appearance on UK talk show This Morning.
“There’s been all kinds of things. Who knows? There’s been talk. I can’t say anything at the moment, because I really don’t know,” Bloom shared. “They’re definitely… I think they’re trying to work out what it would all look like. I, personally, think it would be great to get the band back together. That would be great. But there are always different ideas, so we’ll see where it lands.
Behind the scenes, Disney is reportedly considering two separate projects: the sixth main installment and a spinoff previously linked to Margot Robbie, most recently seen in Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” (2026). Although Robbie indicated at one point that her film had stalled, Bruckheimer has clarified that it remains in development, even if the primary sequel is the current focus.
The producer recently suggested that Pirates 6 and Top Gun 3, starring Tom Cruise, are advancing at nearly the same pace. However, the Cruise sequel is edging forward, meaning Pirates may remain docked a bit longer.
That hasn’t stopped rumors. The DisInsider reports that the next film could introduce Jack Sparrow’s son as the central figure. The outlet also claims Depp and Robbie may co-lead before passing the baton to a new generation.
“I believe Disney wants the next movie to be Johnny Depp-led alongside Margot Robbie, with hopes that future installments in the franchise can continue on with Robbie’s character and quite possibly the son of Sparrow,” The DisInsider wrote.
Variety reported in late 2024 that “nothing has been ruled out” regarding Depp’s participation, even if the film functions as a soft reboot. By early 2025, Disney had reportedly begun preparing a Hollywood soundstage for Pirates 6, reigniting talk that legacy characters could return.
Any reunion would carry a hefty price tag, and the theatrical marketplace has shifted. Underperformers such as 2025’s Disney’s Snow White and Captain America: Brave New World have made studios increasingly cautious about oversized budgets.
For now, Disney appears to be navigating between legacy and reinvention. Whether Jack Sparrow remains at the helm is uncertain—but the possibility of his return no longer seems out of reach.
How do you feel Disney should handle the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise moving forward? Let us know in the comments down below!
