Pirates of the Caribbean 6has been confirmed, yet the biggest question looming over the sequel is whether Johnny Depp will be back. He made his debut as Jack Sparrow in 2003’sThe Curse of the Black Pearland has starred ineveryPirates of the Caribbeanmoviesince. However, the franchise’s last movie hit theaters in 2017 (and received very disappointing reviews).

Since the release ofDead Men Tell No Tales, Depp has been involved in several controversies, mostly involving his highly publicized divorce from Amber Heard. Because of these off-screen controversies, it seemed like he would not reprise his role asJack Sparrow inPirates of the Caribbean 6. For a while, it appeared likely the nextPiratesmovie would feature a brand-new cast.

Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow giving an intriguing stare in Pirates of the Caribbean

However, after several years out of the spotlight, Depp made his return to acting in 2023. Therefore, it now seems like he, along with several other actors from the other movies, willreturn inPirates of the Caribbean 6. His potential return is a divisive decision for the franchise to navigate, which may explain the film’s difficulty in moving forward.

It Sounds Like Johnny Depp’s Return Could Be What’s Holding Up Pirates Of The Caribbean 6

Recently, an optimistic update about the actor’s involvement in the franchise’s next movie came from producer Jerry Bruckheimer. He confirmed that the movie will be a reboot, but claimed that he stillwants Johnny Depp inPirates of the Caribbean 6. In the interview,the producer revealed that the current version of the movie includes Jack Sparrow and said, “If it was up to me, he would be in it.”

This is not the first time Bruckheimer has expressed his desire to have Depp inPirates of the Caribbean 6. He clearly wants the franchise star back as part of the cast, andit would be surprising if Depp turned down the chance to reprise his iconic role, which he clearly loves, even if the script is not complete.

The fact that an announcement such as this hasn’t been made could be telling. If the current version of the script includes Jack Sparrow and potentially other fan-favorite characters, announcing this would create tons of hype, especially if Bruckheimer and Depp are on board. Therefore, perhaps Disney is the party that isn’t in favor of Depp’s return.

If this is the case, then conflict between Disney and Bruckheimer could be the reason development onPirates of the Caribbean 6is moving so slowly.Bruckheimer’s recent comments suggest that the decision to bring Depp back is out of his hands, so there’s a chance the studio still doesn’t want to associate with the actor, despite the demand for him to return.

This is not confirmed, and instead is more speculation based on potential clues. But it makes some sense.Disney prides itself on being a family-friendly brand, so it wouldn’t be surprising if some executives were still bothered by the controversies surrounding Depp.

If there is any behind-the-scenes conflict, hopefully it can be resolved soon so we can finally receive some firm updates about the highly anticipatedPirates of the Caribbean 6.