When the first Pirates of the Caribbean film arrived back in 2003, almost everyone embraced it as a fun fantasy swashbuckler, with Johnny Depp’s eccentric turn as Jack Sparrow being a true highlight in a movie that was full of them. And though the franchise has continued to perform respectably at the box office over the years, many of the sequels have been lacking. Not to mention that Depp’s once celebrated presence has now descended into a repetitive schtick, raising the question of whether the swaggering pirate really has anything new to contribute at this stage.
As such, it’s probably a good call that the series is being rebooted, with Deadpool writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese reportedly in talks to come up with a script for the fresh start. What remains to be seen, however, is how hard of a reboot this will be, but if a new report from HN Entertainment is to be believed, it seems those rumors of Disney parting ways with Depp are indeed true.
According to the outlet, Captain Jack is definitely gone and in his place will be a female pirate named Redd, a “revamped character in the popular Disneyland attraction who’s also a meet-in-greet park character.” She’s thought to be inspired the historic Irish pirate Anne Bonny, and already, a few casting suggestions have been thrown out.
Daisy Ridley and Karen Gillan are both names that have come up with fans and though the studio hasn’t commented on any of this just yet, either of those actresses would be terrific choices to lead the franchise. And this is certainly a franchise that needs a fresh face at the front of it.
With the sequels’ increasing tendency to get lost in their own plot, the needless pushing of spectacle over heart, and the over-reliance on Jack Sparrow to the point of exhaustion, Wernick and Reese need to provide a totally clean slate if the series is to continue drawing in audiences. What this news means for the recently announced Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is still unclear, but it sounds as if those plans may now be scrapped, with the studio opting to start over and give this pirate-themed adventure the reboot it so desperately needs.