A surprise update on the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise has surfaced, thanks to producer Jerry Bruckheimer. The
Hollywood hotshot producer, 80, who has been behind major hit movies including Armageddon, Top Gun , Con Air and the Bad Boys films with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, has indicated that plans are still full sail for the Disney-owned project. After a series of vague updates in recent years, including speculation over whether or not original star Johnny Depp would return as Captain Jack Sparrow – the role that launched him to mega stardom – Bruckheimer shared that new Pirates films will feature a fresh cast. This may or may not chime with talk in 2022 of a female-led take with Barbie star
Margot Robbie . Discussing new movie The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare alongside director Guy Ritchie, Bruckheimer was asked which was more likely to happen first, a third Top Gun film after the huge success of 2022’s sequel Top Gun: Maverick, or a sixth Pirates movie, seven years after the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. ‘It’s hard to tell. You don’t know, you really don’t know,’ Bruckheimer began, initially hesitant in his answer. He continued to ComicBook.com : ‘You don’t know how they come together. You just don’t know. Because with Top Gun you have an
Actor who is iconic and brilliant. And how many movies he does before he does Top Gun, I can’t tell you.’ The producer is, of course, referring to star Tom Cruise, who is currently busy finishing filming on the eighth instalment of the Mission: Impossible franchise after last year’s actors’ strike caused delays. He also has plans to travel to space to shoot a movie that was announced back in 2020. Bruckheimer then revealed a more concrete update on his seafaring, swashbuckling franchise, explaining: ‘But we’re gonna reboot Pirates, so that is easier to put together because you don’t have to wait for certain actors.’ Thanks to the colossal success of Barbie last year, this may mean Oscar nominee Robbie is out of the running onscreen with a busy slate, but she could still be lending her producer chops to the project as hoped, à la Emerald Fennell’s much-discussed social thriller Saltburn. After Robbie said that
Disney had jumped ship on her remake idea in December 2022, Bruckheimer insisted it was very much ‘alive’ . Johnny Depp's victory over Amber Heard in court questioned in new investigation Johnny Depp fires back after Blow co-star's bombshell claims about his on-set behaviour Kate's not the only one with an embarrassing photo editing blunder - Johnny Depp is, too 'Haunting' new horror film based on the devil made $666,666 on opening weekend Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Bruckheimer confirmed then that the project was ‘alive for me, it’s alive for Disney.’ He said the team was developing two Pirates movies – ‘one with Margot Robbie and one with younger cast.’ Jerry explained: ‘The Margot Robbie one needs a little more work. The younger cast one is close. Hopefully we’ll get both of them.’ The producer, who worked on all five previous Pirates movies, insisted: ‘We believe we’ll get it made. It’s a very strong story.’ So it sounds like the ‘younger’ one may be the one sailing towards us first. In June last year, former Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production president Sean Bailey suggested that the company had not ruled out welcoming actor Depp , 60, back to the film series. Addressing the possibility of the Pirates franchise making a return, with the last film released in 2017, Bailey said: ‘We think we have a really good, exciting story that honours the films that have come before but also has something new to say.’ The studio head added to The
New York Times that Depp was ‘noncommittal at this point’ when asked if the actor could return, but did deny that they could welcome him back themselves. Depp has made his feelings on the film series clear in the past and stated that ‘nothing on this earth’, not even ‘$300million (£237.5m) and a million alpacas’, could entice him to appear in another instalment. Despite Bruckheimer previously suggesting he too would be keen to see the three-time Oscar nominee back in his bandana, it appears this fresh news has debunked that possibility. Got a story? If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you. MORE : Keira Knightley rules out Pirates of the Caribbean return after producer hints Johnny Depp could be back MORE : Ghostbusters star’s three-word takedown of critics after sequel gets harsh reviews MORE : Johnny Depp fires back after Blow co-star’s bombshell claims