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As per a former Walt Disney Studios executive, Johnny Depp could return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise after winning his high-profile defamation case against estranged wife Amber Heard.
On June 1, the 58-year-old won his defamation suit against Heard, 36, ending a heated six-week court battle in Virginia that exposed their private lives. Following the verdict, Depp stated in a statement that the jury "gave me my life back" and that the "best is yet to come" for him.
Talking to People Magazine, the former employee said that there is a possibility that Depp could be asked to return to the billion dollar franchise soon.
"I absolutely believe post-verdict that Pirates is primed for rebooting with Johnny as Capt. Jack back on board. There is just too much potential box-office treasure for a beloved character deeply embedded in the Disney culture."
The former employee added that producer Jerry Bruckheimer is extremely happy with the success of the latest Tom Cruise starrer Top Gun: Maverick, and has realised that people want to see successful Hollywood stars in popular franchises.
Johnny Depp was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as Jack Sparrow in the original 2003 picture Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The successful sequels were released in 2006, 2007, 2011, and 2017.
Johnny Depp might also not be asked to return to the Pirates series
While talking to the outlet, another insider added that there is a possibility that Depp will not "come back as a star," but they might instead make the next Pirates of the Caribbean film with Margot Robbie.
Previously, it was claimed that Robbie was being considered for a Pirates remake. According to The Sunday Times, franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer is "developing two Pirates scripts – one with her, one without."
During his testimony in the defamation case, Johnny Depp discussed his feud with the Disney management, claiming he felt "guilty until proven innocent." The actor, who is also involved in the company's Alice in Wonderland franchise, stated on the stand that he would not work with Disney again, even if they paid him a $300 million salary.
In his deposition, Depp also stated that he intended to bid his Pirates persona a "proper goodbye," and that he intended to continue creating Pirates films "until it was time to stop." Depp's agency claimed that Heard's 2018 op-ed, which was at the core of the defamation trial, cost him a possible $22.5 million payout for a sixth Pirates film.
However, Depp's former longterm agent said that the actor's unprofessional conduct in the years prior the op-ed led studios to feel "reluctant" to recruit him.
Johnny Depp lost his widely publicised U.K. libel court case against British newspaper The Sun in November 2020 for branding him a "wife-beater." The court found the outlet's allegations to be "substantially true," and Heard testified to support them. Depp's effort to reverse the judgement was dismissed in March 2021.
