Producer Jerry Bruckheimer said in an interview published by Entertainment Weekly on 12 Aug. that he has spoken with Johnny Depp about reprising Captain Jack Sparrow in a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film and believes the actor would return “if he likes the way the part’s written.” Bruckheimer added that the screenplay, now being revised by long-time series writer Jeff Nathanson, is nearing completion but is not yet finalized. The comments are the clearest sign to date that Disney may re-engage with Depp after the studio distanced itself from the star in 2018 amid his legal disputes with ex-wife Amber Heard. During their 2022 defamation trial, Depp said he would not return to the franchise even for “$300 million and a million alpacas,” but Bruckheimer indicated attitudes on both sides have softened. Depp led the first five Pirates films released between 2003 and 2017, which together grossed more than $4.5 billion worldwide, with Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and On Stranger Tides (2011) each surpassing $1 billion. A sixth installment has been in development since 2020 alongside a separate reboot once eyed for Margot Robbie. Bruckheimer said the priority now is completing a script that satisfies all parties before formal casting decisions are made.