The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is one of the most successful and beloved in Hollywood history, thanks to its thrilling adventures, stunning visuals, and charismatic characters. However, the future of the series has been uncertain since Disney decided to drop its star, Johnny Depp, from the lead role of Captain Jack Sparrow, following his legal troubles with his ex-wife, Amber Heard.

Now, there are rumors that Depp may return to the franchise, but not as the main protagonist. Instead, he may have a cameo or a supporting role in the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean 6, which is reportedly set in Haiti and will feature a new female lead. Here is everything we know about the possible comeback of Johnny Depp in the sixth installment of the pirate saga.

Why did Disney fire Johnny Depp from Pirates of the Caribbean?

Johnny Depp has been the face of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise since its inception in 2003, when he first portrayed the eccentric and witty pirate, Jack Sparrow, in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The film was a huge hit, both critically and commercially, and spawned four more sequels, making the franchise one of the highest-grossing of all time, with a total of $4.5 billion at the box office.

However, Depp’s personal life took a toll on his professional career, when he was accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife, Amber Heard, in 2016. The couple divorced in 2017, but their legal battle continued, with both parties suing each other for defamation. Depp denied the allegations and claimed that Heard was the abusive one, presenting evidence of her injuries and audio recordings of her admitting to hitting him.

In 2018, Heard published an op-ed in The Washington Post, in which she implied that Depp was the perpetrator of the abuse, without naming him directly. This prompted Disney to fire Depp from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, as they did not want to be associated with the controversy. Depp later sued Heard for $50 million for writing the op-ed, claiming that it damaged his reputation and cost him his role as Jack Sparrow.

In 2020, Depp lost a libel case against The Sun, a British tabloid that called him a “wife-beater” in an article. The judge ruled that the newspaper’s claim was “substantially true”, based on the evidence presented in court. Depp appealed the verdict, but it was rejected by the Court of Appeal in 2021.

In 2022, Depp won a defamation case against Heard in the US, where he proved that she lied about donating the $7 million settlement she received from their divorce to charity. The judge ordered Heard to pay Depp $10 million in damages, and also granted him access to her phone records, which could reveal more details about their relationship.

Despite his legal victory, Depp’s career has suffered a major setback, as he has lost several lucrative roles, such as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, and Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Many of his fans have expressed their support and outrage over his treatment by the media and the industry, and have launched petitions and campaigns to reinstate him in his iconic roles.

How could Johnny Depp return to Pirates of the Caribbean 6?

According to a trusted source, who has more than 150,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), Disney is developing Pirates of the Caribbean 6, and they want Johnny Depp to return, but not as the lead. The source, who goes by the name of MyTimeToShineHello, shared that the movie will be set in part in Haiti, and that the female protagonist will be Haitian. He also claimed that Depp will have a cameo or a supporting role, rather than reprising his role as Jack Sparrow.

“I looked into it and Pirates of Caribbean 6 will be set in part in Haiti and the female protagonist will be Haitian. Also they do want Johnny Depp to come back just not as the lead,” he wrote on X.

This is not the first time that the source has revealed information about the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. In 2020, he leaked that Margot Robbie was in talks to star in a female-led spin-off of the series, which was later confirmed by the actress herself. He also predicted that Depp would win the defamation case against Heard in the US, which turned out to be true.

However, the source did not provide any further details about the plot, the cast, or the release date of Pirates of the Caribbean 6, which is still in the early stages of development. The script is being written by Ted Elliott, who co-wrote the first four films of the franchise, and Craig Mazin, who created the acclaimed series Chernobyl.

It is unclear how Depp’s possible return will affect the story and the tone of the movie, and whether he will play a new character or a different version of Jack Sparrow. It is also unknown how the fans will react to his reduced role, as many of them have been demanding his full reinstatement as the main hero of the franchise.

Some fans have expressed their disappointment and anger over the news, accusing Disney of using Depp to sell tickets, while others have expressed their excitement and hope for his comeback. Here are some of the reactions from the fans on X:

• “Disney is using him to sell tickets. They don’t care about him or his fans. They only care about money. Shame on them.” – @DeppheadForever
• “I’m happy that Johnny is coming back, but I’m sad that he’s not the lead. He deserves better. He is the heart and soul of Pirates of the Caribbean.” – @SparrowFan
• “I don’t care if he’s not the lead. I just want to see him on the big screen again. He’s a great actor and a great person. I support him no matter what.” – @DeppLover
• “This is a joke, right? Johnny Depp is Pirates of the Caribbean. Without him, there is no franchise. Disney is making a huge mistake.” – @JackSparrowFan
• “This is the best news ever. Johnny Depp is back. I can’t wait to see him in Pirates of the Caribbean 6. He’s the best thing that ever happened to the franchise.” – @DeppFanatic

What is the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise?

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is not the only project that Disney is working on for the franchise. The studio is also developing a spin-off movie, starring Margot Robbie as the lead, and written by Christina Hodson, who penned Birds of Prey and Bumblebee. The spin-off is said to be a separate story from the main saga, with new characters and a new setting, but still set in the same universe.

Robbie confirmed her involvement in the spin-off in an interview with Collider, where she said that she was excited to work with Hodson and to explore a different side of the pirate world. She also said that the movie will have “lots of girl power”, and that it will be different from the previous films of the franchise.

“It’s too early to talk about it. I love Christina, obviously. I’m not a producer on Pirates, so I’ll sit back and kind of wait for the process…. We’re really, really excited at the prospect of adding obviously a very key female element to that world,” she said.

The spin-off is expected to be released after Pirates of the Caribbean 6, as the latter is closer to production. However, neither of the movies has a confirmed release date yet, as they are still in the scripting stages. The last Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Dead Men Tell No Tales, was released in 2017, and it was the lowest-grossing and the worst-reviewed film of the franchise, with a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The franchise has also faced some challenges, such as the writers’ and actors’ strikes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the legal issues of Johnny Depp, which have delayed the development of the new projects. However, the franchise still has a loyal fan base, and a potential for more stories and adventures in the pirate world.

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is one of the most iconic and influential in Hollywood history, and it has shaped the careers of many actors, such as Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Geoffrey Rush. The franchise has also inspired many other works of fiction, such as video games, books, comics, and theme park attractions.

The future of the franchise is uncertain, but it is not over yet. Disney is trying to revive and reinvent the series, with new faces, new stories, and new perspectives. Whether Johnny Depp will return as Jack Sparrow, or as a different character, remains to be seen, but his presence will surely have an impact on the fans and the critics.

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is in development, and it may feature Johnny Depp in a cameo or a supporting role. The movie will be set in part in Haiti, and it will have a new female lead. The release date is unknown, but it is expected to be after 2025.