In a chat with Collider, Geoffrey Rush talked about the chance that Johnny Depp might not come back for the reboot of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’ The actor said Depp is ‘irreplaceable’ and compared him to Robert Newton, who is famous for playing Long John Silver in ‘Treasure Island’:
“Whoever takes over from Johnny, I don’t know what’s gonna happen there. He’s irreplaceable. Jack Sparrow is the new Robert Newton. Early on, we had a chat between Orlando [Bloom] and Johnny and myself, and he was already talking about pop stars like Keith Richards having that kind of visceral identity that you knew. He said, ‘I’m just fascinated that this character, Jack, spends half his life on land and half his life on water. What if he never really gets his sea legs?'”
Rush added:
“And that’s where that whole war came from. Michael Chekhov, who was a Russian actor, wrote books about the defining moments of creating characters, and people studied that for decades… but I know people like Anthony Hopkins and Jack Nicholson always said, ‘Oh, we all read about Michael Chekhov.’ I went, ‘That was Johnny’s brilliant instinct.’ It’s a whole picture.”
Will Johnny Depp Return For The New Film?
The franchise started in 2003 and has made over $4.5 billion from five films. It has featured many different actors, including Depp, Rush, and Kevin McNally. ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ 6 is being developed, but not many details are confirmed yet
Back in March, ScreenTime reported that Disney may be considering bringing Depp back for the new movie, but he might not return as Captain Jack Sparrow. Instead, he could have a supporting role. Depp was let go by Disney due to allegations from his ex-wife, Amber Heard. After winning a defamation trial against her, public support for Depp’s return has grown.
Later, producer Jerry Bruckheimer hinted at discussions to bring Depp back for ‘Pirates 6,’ saying:
“If it was up to me, of course. I love having Depp. He’s a great actor and good friend… I’ve certainly spoken to him, but we’ll see what happens.”
For the latest developments, Depp isn’t returning, but rumors suggest Austin Butler may be signed on to lead a new movie. Disney is also considering Margot Robbie’s involvement. An insider noted that Butler is a great fit for the franchise due to his ability to transform into characters.
