Jerry Bruckheimer, the Pirates of the Caribbean producer, has confirmed that the franchise is undergoing a “reboot” with the long-awaited sixth movie.
Since Captain Jack Sparrow last sailed the seven seas in 2017, the long-awaited Pirates of the Caribbean 6 has undergone numerous transformations. Johnny Depp’s legal issues posed obstacles to swiftly greenlighting another film, prompting a shift in the franchise’s direction. Subsequently, rumors surfaced about Margot Robbie potentially leading the charge for a fresh perspective on the series. Now, it appears that one of Disney’s flagship franchises is charting a course for uncharted waters.
During a recent interview with ComicBook.com, Bruckheimer was asked about both Top Gun and Pirates of the Caribbean. The producer hinted that Top Gun 3 might make a comeback to the big screen first, as they are planning to reboot the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
“It’s hard to tell. You don’t know, you really don’t know. You don’t know how they come together. You just don’t know. Because with Top Gun you have an actor who is iconic and brilliant. And how many movies he does before he does Top Gun , I can’t tell you. But we’re gonna reboot Pirates , so that is easier to put together because you don’t have to wait for certain actors. “
Why Pirates of the Caribbean has not yet happened
After the release of the fifth movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, in 2017, talks about a sixth installment began. The film concluded with a cliffhanger, suggesting potential for more stories, as characters like Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), and Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) made appearances in a post-credits scene. Disney showed interest in continuing the franchise’s momentum, with Bruckheimer announcing that the sixth film was in development, with Joachim Rønning returning as the director.
Following the initial steps, Disney hired the talents of Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. However, creative differences led to their departure, prompting a shift in the project’s direction, now termed a “reboot.” Former Pirates writer Ted Elliott and The Last of Us co-creator Craig Mazin were subsequently brought on board by the end of 2019 to helm the reboot. However, progress hit a snag by September 2023, with Mazin revealing that their script had been acquired by Disney and production had stalled due to the WGA strike.
Not only that, in addition to the main franchise, a female-led spin-off starring Robbie was confirmed to be in development, with the announcement made in 2020. Various reports suggested Christina Hodson, known for her work on Birds of Prey and Bumblebee, was involved in writing the screenplay at different times. However, Robbie stated in 2022 that the project was no longer moving forward. Bruckheimer later clarified that while the spin-off might be on hold, a new Pirates sequel was still in the works.
