Johnny Depp Reveals What Would Bring Him Back as Jack Sparrow
The actor says a return to Pirates of the Caribbean would depend on how the story ends
Johnny Depp is open to playing Captain Jack Sparrow again, under one condition. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the actor said he would consider returning to Pirates of the Caribbean if the filmmakers found a way to give the series a better send-off. He last played the character in 2017’s Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Depp said he would want to “send them off on a better note.” His comments leave room for a final appearance, though he gave no indication of how large a role Jack Sparrow might play. For now, the actor has expressed interest in a particular kind of story, and his return remains unconfirmed.
That willingness marks a shift from what Depp said during his 2022 defamation trial. Asked then whether he would turn down another Pirates film even if Disney offered him an enormous sum, he agreed that he would. In his latest interview, the conversation centered on what the filmmakers could do with the story and who would be involved in telling it.
Why Jerry Bruckheimer matters to Depp
Depp singled out longtime Pirates of the Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer as someone he would readily work with again. He described their friendship as a source of trust. Bruckheimer has produced the series since The Curse of the Black Pearl, the 2003 film that introduced Depp’s Jack Sparrow and earned the actor an Academy Award nomination.
Bruckheimer has also made his interest in a reunion clear. In 2025, he told Entertainment Weekly that he had spoken with Depp and believed the actor might return if he liked the material. He described the next film as a reboot while leaving room for Jack Sparrow to appear. In a later interview at Disney’s D23 event, Bruckheimer said discussions with Depp were ongoing and a screenplay was still in development.
The two men have described different parts of the same decision. Bruckheimer would like to bring back the actor who helped establish the franchise, while Depp wants to see how the proposed story would close out the series he was part of. Their relationship makes the conversation possible, but the screenplay will determine whether the idea works for both of them.
What a reboot could mean for Jack Sparrow
Disney has explored more than one direction for Pirates of the Caribbean since the fifth movie. One project was developed around Margot Robbie, while another was discussed as a sixth installment. Bruckheimer’s description of the next movie as a reboot leaves open the possibility that it could introduce new characters while giving Jack Sparrow a place in the story.
Depp’s remarks raise a specific question for the filmmakers. Can a new Pirates movie make room for a farewell to the character audiences have followed since 2003? Bruckheimer would like to see Depp back, and Depp is willing to consider it if the ending feels right. Whether that becomes a cameo, a larger role, or simply an idea discussed during development remains open.