Producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed Sunday that Johnny Depp is in talks to reprise his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the long-awaited sixth installment of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Speaking with Deadline at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, Bruckheimer offered the clearest update yet on the project that has lingered in development for years.

“We’re talking with Johnny [Depp], we’re working on a screenplay, and hopefully we can get this done,” Bruckheimer said. The comments came after the veteran producer received a Disney Legends tribute at the fan event.

The news marks a significant step forward for a franchise that has remained dormant since 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. That film, the fifth in the series, earned $795.9 million worldwide-the lowest total of the five movies yet still contributed to a cumulative global box office haul exceeding $4.5 billion.

Depp originated the eccentric, rum-soaked pirate in 2003’s The Curse of the Black Pearl and appeared in every subsequent entry, turning Sparrow into one of the most recognizable characters in modern blockbuster cinema.

According to solid sources speaking separately to Deadline, the new film is not intended as another straightforward Jack Sparrow vehicle. Instead, it is being developed as an evolution of the franchise that places a new protagonist at the center of the story.

That role is expected to go to Margot Robbie. Sparrow would appear in a supporting capacity, more akin to his presence in the original film than as the sole driving force of the narrative. Bruckheimer has previously confirmed conversations with Robbie about the project.

The development process has been lengthy and complicated. Over the years, multiple writers have been attached, including Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, followed by reports involving Craig Mazin, Ted Elliott, Jeff Nathanson, and more recently Oscar-nominated screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns.

Scripts have been written, rewritten, and set aside as Disney underwent leadership changes and reassessed the direction of its live-action tentpoles. Bruckheimer has repeatedly expressed optimism while acknowledging the need for the right material.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly last year, the producer noted that he had already spoken with Depp about returning. “If [Johnny] likes the way the part’s written, I think he would do it. It’s all about what’s on the page, as we all know,” Bruckheimer said at the time. “We are still working on a screenplay. We want to make it. We just got to get the right screenplay. We haven’t quite gotten there yet, but we’re close.”

Depp’s potential return carries cultural weight beyond the box office. The actor’s public image underwent intense scrutiny during and after his high-profile legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard.

Disney had previously distanced itself from him in the wake of those controversies. Bruckheimer, a longtime collaborator and friend, has remained consistently supportive, describing Depp as “an amazing artist” who essentially created the character of Jack Sparrow through his distinctive performance style, blending elements of Keith Richards and Pepé Le Pew.

Public Reaction

Fan reaction to the latest update has been swift and largely enthusiastic on social media, with many celebrating the possibility of seeing Sparrow return to the big screen.

Others have questioned whether the franchise can recapture the magic of the earlier films without centering the character more prominently, or whether audiences still have appetite for another installment nearly a decade later.

Some online commentary has also focused on Depp’s age,he is now in his early sixties and Hollywood’s differing standards for male and female stars.

For Disney, a successful sixth Pirates film could revitalize a proven brand at a time when the studio is balancing legacy franchises with new intellectual property. The original trilogy, directed by Gore Verbinski, remains the high-water mark for many fans, blending swashbuckling adventure, supernatural elements, practical effects, and broad comedy.

Subsequent entries expanded the mythology with new villains, including Blackbeard and Salazar, while introducing additional characters such as Angelica and Carina Smyth.

Supporting players such as Geoffrey Rush’s Captain Barbosa are no longer available following Rush’s retirement from the role.

Bruckheimer’s comments at D23 also touched on broader industry issues, including his desire to keep Paramount Pictures rooted in California amid discussions of possible relocation tied to corporate mergers. Yet the Pirates update dominated headlines.

No release date, director, or official green light has been announced. Talks with Depp do not yet constitute a signed deal, and the screenplay is still being refined.

Still, the producer’s public statement represents the strongest signal in years that Captain Jack Sparrow may once again set sail under the Disney banner.

If the pieces come together, audiences could soon witness a new chapter that attempts to honor the franchise’s history while introducing fresh characters and perspectives.

For now, the conversation continues, the script develops, and fans wait to see whether the tides will finally turn in favor of another voyage into the Caribbean.