Johnny Depp To Be Replaced In Pirates Of The Caribbean By An Unlikely Star

The Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial is inescapable. Whether you want to hear about it or you would rather stick pins in your eyes, you don’t really have a choice. There are plenty of serious takeaways from the trial but the internet appears to have one pressing priority: is Johnny Depp returning to Pirates of the Caribbean? 

It’s become a somewhat confusing affair. First, Depp said he didn’t want to return to the franchise. Then his defence claimed he wanted to return but Disney had dropped him. Next thing we know, Disney do want him back? The truth is hidden in there somewhere, and longtime series producer Jerry Bruckheimer has recently shed some light on the ordeal.

Mads Mikkelsen recently replaced Depp in the Fantastic Beasts franchise. Take a look at Mikkelsen's Grindelwald below.

As pointed out by Metro, during an interview with The Sunday Times’ Culture magazine, Bruckheimer revealed that Disney is actively developing a Pirates of the Caribbean movie with Margot Robbie instead of Depp, as the Jack Sparrow actor is unlikely to return “at this point”.

Bruckheimer was asked if we might see Jack Sparrow again, to which he responded: “Not at this point. The future is yet to be decided.” So, it’s not a straight no. Bruckheimer went on to add: “Yes. We are talking to Margot Robbie. We are developing two Pirates scripts - one with her, and one without.”

Margot Robbie has been linked to the Pirates franchise for quite some time. Just as the original film was inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland, it’s also thought that Robbie’s film will adapt a ride element as fans believe she could portray female pirate Redd - a fan-favourite who heavily features throughout the ride.

As Bruckheimer notes, there’s also a script being developed without Robbie which is likely to be a continuation of the mainline story. Depp’s previous entry, 2017's Dead Men Tell No Tales, certainly left an opening for another instalment after teasing the return of Davy Jones. Either way, Depp or no Depp, Pirates should return eventually.