Johnny Depp’s comeback in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has not been ruled out by Disney

The possible return of Johnny Depp to reprise his iconic Captain Jack Sparrow character in the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie has not been ruled out by Disney.

The actor, 59, was pulled from the franchise by the company in 2018 as they wanted to bring a “new energy” to the beloved films.

But in a recent interview with The New York TimesDisney Studios Motion Picture Production president Sean Bailey discussed the future of the sixth film, leaving the door open to Depp’s possible return.

“We think we have a really good, exciting story that honors the films that have been made before, but also has something new to tell,” he said.

When asked if Depp could be a part of that storyline, Bailey replied that the studio was “no strings attached” at this point.

And while it’s not a resounding yes, it’s not exactly a no either.

Depp last played the badass character in 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Rumors of Depp returning to the franchise also circulated last year.

It was reported at the time that the actor was in talks with Disney over a “$300 million deal” after winning his defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard, though later sources confirmed to DailyMail.com that the information was false.

The Edward Scissorhands star previously told the jury he would no longer be working with Disney after being cut from the sixth Pirates movie.

His legal team alleges that Depp missed out on a $22 million payday after Heard published her op-ed in the Washington Post in 2018 that did not identify Depp, but clearly labeled him a domestic abuser.

Depp said he felt he was “guilty until proven innocent” with Disney executives.

Depp sued Heard over the op-ed she wrote, in which she described herself as “a public figure who represents domestic violence.”

Leaving the door open: When asked if Depp might be part of the sixth film in the franchise, Sean Bailey, president of Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, replied that the studio was “non-binding” at this point in a recent interview with The New York Times. York Times

Jack Sparrow: The actor, 59, was pulled from the franchise in 2018 by the company as they wanted to bring a ‘new energy’ to the beloved films

Iconic: Depp last played the badass character in 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

The jury ruled in favor of Depp on all three of his claims related to specific statements in the 2018 piece.

After a six-week trial last year, Heard was found to have defamed her ex-husband and was ordered to pay him more than $8 million in damages — though they later agreed on $1 million to settle a lawsuit. end their legal battle.

In 2018, a Disney producer claimed Depp would not be asked to return, saying they wanted to bring a “new energy” to the beloved films.

New ideas to revive the franchise included a female-led Pirates Of The Caribbean, starring Margot Robbie.

However, in an interview with Vanity Fair last year, the Oscar nominee revealed that the highly anticipated movie she’s set to appear in won’t happen.

“We had an idea and we were developing it for a while, ages ago, to have more of a female-led — not fully female-led, but just a different kind of story — which we thought would be really cool have been, but I think they don’t want to do it,” she said of Disney.

It’s been a good few weeks for Depp, who received a seven-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of his comeback film Jeanne du Barry last month.

The acclaimed actor – who plays King Louis XV in the period drama – burst into tears as he took in the moment with director and co-star Maïwenn by his side.

Perhaps tough: The Edward Scissorhands star previously stated he would no longer be working with Disney after being cut from the sixth Pirates film; In the photo 2023

Previous legal troubles: His legal team alleged that Depp lost a $22 million payday after his ex-wife Amber Heard published her 2018 Washington Post op-ed that did not identify Depp but clearly labeled him a domestic abuser; Pictured with Heard in 2016

The film is Depp’s first project since being banned by Hollywood in the years following Heard’s 2016 abuse allegations.

The 76th Film Festival also marked Depp’s first red carpet appearance since his court victory.

The Edward Scissorhands star was greeted with applause on his arrival and supported by a sea of ​​adoring fans.

Depp couldn’t hide his joy at returning to Hollywood, having previously been dropped from several projects during the trial, including the Fantastic Beasts movie franchise.