Producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed at the August 2026 D23 event that talks are ongoing with Johnny Depp about his return as Jack Sparrow in the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean 6. Bruckheimer said, "We’re talking with Johnny [Depp], we’re working on a screenplay, and hopefully we can get this done" [1]. The new film is planned to feature Margot Robbie as the lead, with Depp reprising his iconic character in a supporting role [1, 2].
Johnny Depp last portrayed Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which was released in 2017 and grossed $795.9 million worldwide at the box office [1, 2, 3]. Since then, Depp has been largely absent from the franchise, amid career challenges following a high-profile defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard that concluded in 2022 with mostly favorable verdicts for Depp, including $15 million in damages awarded to him [4, 5].
Despite these ongoing talks, no official signing has been announced yet, and details on the role size, story, or release timing remain unconfirmed [1, 6]. Depp, now 63, is preparing for a major screen comeback with a lead role in the film Ebenezer, slated for release November 13, 2026 [4, 5].
Bruckheimer emphasized the collaborative effort on the screenplay, stating in multiple interviews, "我們正在與強尼（戴普）進行對話，目前也在同步推進劇本的編寫，希望能順利完成這項合作" (We are negotiating with Johnny [Depp] and progressing with the screenplay, hoping to complete this collaboration) [4, 2, 3]. The inclusion of Margot Robbie as the lead signals a new direction for the franchise while keeping Depp’s character involved [1, 5].
The next confirmed date in Depp’s schedule is the release of Ebenezer scheduled for November 13, 2026 [4, 5]. Meanwhile, fans await official confirmation of his return to the Pirates franchise.
