Report: Disney’s “Woke” Mentality Could Ruin ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 6’
Despite its usual box office dominance, Disney is no stranger to struggles when it comes to releasing highly anticipated films. For this reason, any movement going forward with their coveted Pirates of the Caribbean 6 plans must be handled with care.
If or when Disney wants to recapitalize on the swimming success of Captain Jack Sparrow or move the Pirates franchise in a new direction, they must be mindful of current perceptions surrounding how they have recently been approaching their films.
As rumors abound regarding the return of Johnny Depp, piloting a new franchise with Margot Robbie at the helm, or maybe even bringing in newcomer Ayo Edebiri, one thing is for certain: given the lackluster performance of Disney, who is usually accustomed to box office dominance, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is a must-win.
Sailing Unfamiliar Tides
We can’t talk about Pirates of the Caribbean without talking about Johnny Depp. After all, he IS Pirates of the Caribbean. Depp’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow arguably made the franchise work in the first place.
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Of course, as you probably know, Johnny Depp currently is no longer available for the role following his firing by Disney after disturbing claims of abuse were made by his ex-wife, Amber Heard.
This leaves Disney in unfamiliar territory in which they own the rights to a multi-billion dollar franchise, but if they wish to move forward, they’d likely have to do so without its iconic frontman, Jack Sparrow.
Actually, on second thought, maybe the stranger tide surrounding firing a leading role-holder due to accusations regarding violent behavior isn’t new to Disney. In fact, most recently, Marvel Studios, owned by Disney, has had to step away from newly appointed MCU bad guy Jonathan Majors for similar reasons.
Still, moving forward with Pirates without Jack Sparrow is a different beast compared to recasting a villain in the MCU. Ultimately, removing Depp from Fantastic Beasts saw that film franchise sink for Warner Bros. Disney, who desperately needs a win, has an ace in the hole with Pirates, but moving forward without Johnny Depp would undoubtedly be a gamble.
The Window is Closing on ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 6’
No matter what Disney decides to do, and assuming that the rumored Pirates of the Caribbean 6 release date of 2025 is accurate, the window to solve their Johnny Depp problem is closing quickly.
However, even if they move forward with the franchise away from Jack Sparrow, there’s still hope that it could work. Through five films, Pirates has introduced several exciting characters and stories that the universe, much like the MCU, has the potential for elaborate expansion.
Related: Johnny Depp to Return to ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Under ONE Condition
The reintroduction of Davy Jones (Bill Nighy), the revival of Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), and the later introduction of characters like Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario) in Dead Men Tell no Tales (2017), a completed script by Ted Elliot and Craig Mazin could prove interesting enough to keep Pirate’s fans glued to their televisions.
With the potential of casting new Hollywood blood like Margot Robbie in spin-offs, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise may be far from marooned, although time is quickly ticking regarding what Disney can do.
Still, even if Disney could pull off an interesting enough story minus Johnny Depp, they may have another problem on their hands, however.
A Common Disney Mistake Could Be Fatal For Future ‘Pirates’ Projects
Pointed out first by Fandon Wire, there is one consideration regarding the potential success of Disney moving forward. Although the Pirate’s brand MAY be strong enough to survive on its own without Depp, especially in the form of a potential spinoff behind producer Paul Wernick, another larger issue that is currently “dooming” current MCU projects might impact POTC.
With news of potential lead changes involving Margot Robbie and now Ayo Edebiri, Dinsey seems to be very persistent in pushing female-empowered casting and scenery in their current films.
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We are currently seeing a shift away from the damsel in distress model and the impending death of the “adorkable” princess. This change highlights social influence and empowerment movements for females.
For a very long time, women were portrayed in the film as weaker than their male counterparts, in need of saving, or not being able to “win the day” without a man.
Although there’s certainly nothing wrong with strong, independent female characters, the narrative push from Disney has struck a nerve with some.
In a world that already considers Walt Disney Pictures a propaganda machine, any future Pirates of the Caribbean producer is now faced with a familiar problem that has plagued the MCU: it’s too much.
Strong Women Will Rule the Seas in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 6’
Interestingly enough, Pirates of the Caribbean catalyzed progressive change at Disney but not in the movies. One of the first moves that the Walt Disney Company made to bring their vision into the newest century, aligning with powerful social ideas and movements, was to change out a popular scene in their Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Long before Jerry Bruckheimer and Johnny Depp burst onto the scene, Disney built one of the most popular boat ride attractions ever. Little did they know that the ride would eventually inspire a film that would treat fans to the ultimate swashbuckling adventure.
Related: Disney Guests Are Now Paying an Additional Fee to Ride Pirates of the Caribbean
However, the “Redhead” scene in the original design was removed a few years ago. In this scene, pirates are acting off women. In its place, Redd the Pirates stands, giving passersby a hearty “Yo ho” along their journey through the Caribbean.
Since then, we’ve seen plenty of emphasis on female empowerment via Disney. Marvel fans will recall specific scenes in the Avengers franchise that pit all the female heroes together, citing they “don’t need saving.”
Very interestingly, these exact words were also utilized in the third Pirates of the Caribbean film by Elizabeth Swann. However, according to some fans, and pointed out by Fandom Wire, some are unhappy with this approach as it isn’t realistic to franchises like Marvel and Pirates of the Caribbean.
FW also explained that these similar “woke” viewpoints were ultimately responsible for the failure of recent MCU projects like The Marvels (2023), and they worry that Disney will make the same mistake moving forward with Pirates.
“Netizens believe that if Disney proceeds with their woke agenda and brings an all-female cast like The Marvels, they will be repeating the same recurring mistake. Previously, critics claimed that since Brie Larson’s movie was increasingly woke, it turned off many fans with forced female empowerment. Thus, Disney’s unnecessary attempt at promoting inclusiveness in the upcoming Pirates movie appears to be the same mistake, which netizens predict might tank the movie at the box office.”
So what do you think? Does Disney’s new Pirates Quest have a change with an all-female cast? Do you think the female empowerment movement in Hollywood is good for film or reality, or should we all just give up hope for any future Pirates of the Caribbean projects?
