After Moana 2 absolutely crushed the global box office last weekend despite being a rushed remake of the Disney+ series, Disney is starting to chart a course for 2025 and beyond. One of the key franchises they’re trying to bring back? Pirates of the Caribbean. But there’s a Jack Sparrow question that needs a solid answer first…
It’s no secret that the company and legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer have been trying to get a up-to-date Pirates project off the ground for several years, as 2017’s Dead Men Tell No Tales, while disappointing, still grossed nearly $800 million worldwide. The script, which featured an all-female team led by Margot Robbie, was scrapped at one point, and Deadpool writers have been working on another reboot attempt, but it seems current plans may include a safer approach… if the stars align.
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Diversity made available in-depth article this case examined the post-2024 scenario that Disney is currently considering. Deadpool and Wolverine and Inside Out 2 combined to gross over $3 billion in theaters alone this summer Moana 2 is looking to net a haul worth over a billion dollars unless something weird happens, CEO Bob Iger’s revived plan to get back to what worked wonders in 2010 seems to be paying off immediately.
It’s significant to remember that this strategy of returning to theaters and heavily loaded IP has also resulted in smaller films that were originally scheduled for streaming, such as First Omen and Alien: Romulus, which have made it to the gigantic screen, but some audiences are concerned about what this might lead to bring about the era of “damage control”. even less inventive risks are taken, especially when it comes to huge franchises.
The article also goes on to explain that Iger’s up-to-date, if not entirely, approach also includes the distance between the company and its work and the culture wars on the internet, regardless of where the outrage comes from. This could spell trouble for the upcoming Snow White remake due to Rachel Zegler’s recent comments about Donald Trump and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but it could also aid fallen stars like Johnny Depp get a second chance.
It’s significant to remember that even before the ongoing legal troubles, Depp’s star power was starting to wane while actors like Margot Robbie were also becoming more popular, so a potential return of Jack Sparrow with a up-to-date cast could be another dud that misreads the situation and overestimates the potential payoff from an aging fanbase (as proven by many recent sequel duds).
Either way, it looks like that option is back on the table: “Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer is developing two versions of the script on parallel tracks, one of which could bring Depp back into the fold if the actor and Disney can come to terms.” Variety’s sources confirm this, but like everything that happens in Hollywood, nothing is certain until the cameras start rolling.
