Pirates of the Caribbean producer says 'I would love' if Johnny Depp returns to franchise

Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp, also known as Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean, was dropped from the future franchise films after his ex-wife Amber Heard accused him of physical violence.

Interestingly, Depp still seems to hold the fancy of the franchise’s long-time producer Jerry Bruckheimer. According to Fox News, a USA-based news outlet, during a recently published interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bruckheimer was asked if Depp was "somebody a studio like Disney would put front and centre again in a Pirates sequel?"

The outlet reported that he responded by saying, "You’d have to ask them. I can’t answer that question. I really don’t know. I would love to have him in the movie. He’s a friend, a terrific actor, and it’s unfortunate that personal lives creep into everything we do." Depp and Heard’s defamation trial against each other concluded in June 2022, when a jury found both celebrities liable for defamation but awarded Depp nearly USD 8 million more in damages.

The court fight started in 2018 when Depp sued Heard for defamation because of an op-ed she wrote in the Washington Post claiming to be a victim of domestic abuse. He alleged the op-ed damaged his reputation and cost him a significant amount of income and potential movie roles.

Further, Pirates of the Caribbean was not the only franchise from which the actor was dropped, as Warner Bros also removed him from his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise following the op-ed. Depp has previously said he would never again work with Disney to produce a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film, as per Fox News. 

For the unversed, in the original pirate movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Johnny Depp played the lovable pirate. From 2006 through 2017, he returned in four more sequels. An upcoming sixth movie, however, reportedly got the axe after Amber Heard, Johnny's ex-wife, accused him of domestic violence. Following Johnny's recent victory over Amber in a defamation action, a fresh report surfaced this week claiming that Disney was resuming the project. (With inputs from ANI)

Also read: Amber Heard calls her trial against Johnny Depp 'most humiliating, horrible thing'