Moana 2 is capping off Disney’s 2024 with impressive numbers, and the studio hopes to return Marvel to regular form in 2025. But what about classic live-action Disney projects? We could see the return of Pirates of the Caribbean sooner rather than later.
Disney’s live-action division, headed by David Greenbaum, wants to continue the iconic franchise that has brought the studio a whopping $4.53 billion.
While the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise faces murky waters ahead, there are significant prospects for a sequel. Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer is developing two versions of the script on parallel tracks, one that could bring back Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow and one that won’t include the controversial actor.
Per Variety, sources close to the situation say the studio has not engaged with Johnny Depp, who Disney exiled following the lengthy and messy battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, who accused him of domestic abuse. While Depp prevailed in a 2022 defamation case against the actress, the comeback road has been rocky for the actor. His work is primarily foreign arthouse projects, and he has yet to make a big American blockbuster comeback.
“Nothing has been ruled out,” says one knowledgeable source. Disney has hired back controversial figures, with the studio dropping James Gunn from the MCU and later hiring him back to helm Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3.
What Disney will do remains to be seen, but leaving behind a franchise that was once a dominant force (before petering out of fans’ good graces) would be strange for them. Stay tuned for more information.
Originally published December 7, 2024. Updated December 8, 2024.
