Johnny Depp May Be Allowed Back In His Greatest Franchise
Jerry Bruckheimer, The Pirates of the Caribbean producer, is hoping to bring back Johnny Depp for future movies.
Now that every other entertainment headline isn’t about Johnny Depp and his legal battles with his ex-wife Amber Heard, we’re hoping it’s an indication the 59-year-old star has finally put that messy chapter of his life behind him. Still, the damage is done to his acting career, with Depp having been cut from several projects as a result of his legal woes. Fortunately, the Oscar-nominated performer still has several prominent figures in his corner, including producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who, according to Bounding Into Comics, remains hopeful the actor will reprise his role as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
During a recent interview on Deadline’s web series Behind the Lens, Pete Hammond asked the producer if he would consider having Johnny Depp return to Disney’s blockbuster film series. “Yeah,” Bruckheimer said firmly. He added that Depp is a dear friend and “a talented artist.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time the famed producer has gone to bat for Johnny Depp. While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter last December, Bruckheimer was asked if the actor’s legal victory against Amber Heard had caused Disney to reconsider his involvement in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. After saying he couldn’t speak for the studio, he asserted, “I would love to have him in the movie.”
Unfortunately, regardless of Bruckheimer’s desire to bring Johnny Depp back in arguably his most iconic role, the actor insisted he would never appear in another Pirates film again. He was incredibly displeased with Disney and its quick firing of him after Heard’s accusations. Unlike James Gunn, who was fired from Marvel and accepted an offer to return to work for the company, it doesn’t sound like Depp intends to ever work for the House of Mouse again.
With that said, Pirates of the Caribbean is a multi-billion-dollar franchise and one Disney will move forward with regardless of Johnny Depp’s involvement. In fact, Bruckheimer confirmed in his interview with The Hollywood Reporter that the studio was moving forward with production on both a female-led franchise reboot and a ‘soft reboot’ of the mainline series. He also indicated they were “getting very close” to developing a sixth entry in the long-running Pirates franchise.
Meanwhile, things are finally starting to look up for Johnny Depp, and he seems to be on the verge of a comeback. He’s set to star in the biographical drama Jeanne Du Barry, which arrives in theaters on September 29, 2023. The film, which Maïwenn directed, is currently in post-production.
The story centers on the life of Jeanne Bécu, who was born as the illegitimate daughter of an impoverished seamstress in 1743 and went on to rise through the court of Louis XV to become his last official mistress. Maïwenn and Teddy Lussi-Modeste penned the screenplay, and in addition to Johnny Depp, the French film stars Maïwenn, Melvil Poupaud, Pierre Richard, Pascal Gregory, Benjamin Lavernhe, Marianne Basler, India Hair, and David Decraene.
Johnny Depp also recently wrapped filming on the animated flick Johnny Puff Secret Mission. The story follows the titular character and his friends as they embark on a secret mission to save Taigasville from the evil plans of Otto von Walrus. The movie is directed by Peter Nalli and is scheduled to be released on March 15.
