Johnny Depp Officially Appears in New ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Project

Johnny Depp’s connection to Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been a source of debate, speculation, and fascination ever since his public legal battles began over five years ago. Once considered the defining face of the series, the actor’s future with Disney appeared uncertain following his highly publicized court cases. Now, it seems that Captain Jack Sparrow has officially resurfaced in a new Disney-related project—just not where fans might expect.

The Pirates of the Caribbean films first introduced audiences to Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), launching one of Disney’s most successful modern franchises. Over the next two decades, five feature films brought the eccentric pirate to life, cementing Johnny Depp as one of the most recognizable figures in Disney’s live-action catalog.

However, Depp’s relationship with Disney became strained after a series of legal controversies with ex-wife Amber Heard. During his 2022 defamation trial against Heard, reports circulated that Walt Disney Studios had decided to move forward with the sixth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series without him. Actress Margot Robbie was even rumored to lead a female-focused reboot before that version of the project stalled. Despite Depp’s courtroom victory in 2022, no official announcement ever confirmed his return to the franchise.

Depp lost a 2020 libel case against The U.K. Sun after a magistrate ruled there was sufficient evidence for the paper to describe him as a “wife beater.” He later sued Heard in the United States over an Op-Ed she wrote for The Washington Post, identifying herself as a “victim of domestic abuse.” The Virginia jury sided with Depp, although the ensuing public conversation divided audiences and advocacy groups. Since then, Disney has avoided confirming any new projects involving the Fantastic Beasts actor.

While American Disney parks have quietly distanced themselves from Depp’s likeness in merchandise, one overseas park appears to be taking a different approach. Disney Dining recently visited Tokyo Disneyland and found multiple Pirates of the Caribbean T-shirts prominently featuring Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow on display near the iconic attraction.

Tokyo Disney Resort operates under license from The Walt Disney Company but is owned and managed by The Oriental Land Company, meaning it is not required to follow Disney’s internal creative or branding decisions. This independence allows Tokyo’s parks to preserve older attractions and imagery that may be phased out elsewhere. For instance, Tokyo Disneyland remains the only Disney park in the world that has not reimagined Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Should Walt Disney Studios bring Johnny Depp back to the Pirates of the Caribbean film series? Share your opinion with Disney Dining in the comments!