A source close to Disney claims that Johnny Depp is not on a blacklist and may actually return as Jack Sparrows for Pirates of the Caribbean.
He wasn’t fired: Disney and Johnny Depp relationship is still reportedly strong and the actor may even reprise his role one last time as the charming Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
RELATED: #JusticeForJohnny banner left at Warner Bros studios UK.
The same publication that published Amber Heard’s article fooled people into believing that Johnny Depp was fired from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and put on some kind of blacklist because Disney wanted to disassociate themselves with a “wife-beater.” However, Disney never officially confirmed these claims.
According to the Washington Post article, Disney allegedly fired Johnny Depp from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise just four days after Heard’s questionable 2018 op-ed that she’s now being sued for, in which said, without actually naming Depp, that she was the victim of domestic violence.
The article lead Depp’s lawyers to believe that the actor’s removal from the popular Disney franchise was because of her allegations, but a source close to Disney revealed that, despite receiving demands from Heard’s journalist friends, they never added him to any blacklist.
Journalists demanded his firing.
“Disney received over a dozen emails from Heard’s associates who worked in the press demanding that immediately denounce Depp and bring light to domestic violence. These emails came from major publications and were often sent with a foreword from prolific unions. The company felt obligated to respond and did so without taking a stance on the situation,” the source added.
Shortly after the emails were received, Disney production chief Sean Bailey confirmed that Depp was no longer a part of the franchise’s future plans.
“We want to bring in a new energy and vitality. I love the [Pirates] movies, but part of the reason (writers) Paul (Wernick) and Rhett (Reese) are so interesting is that we want to give it a kick in the pants. And that’s what I’ve tasked them with,” Baily told The Hollywood Reporter.
Heard’s team took this statement as a win and used as a sort of confirmation that Disney were acknowledging Depp as some sort of domestic abuser, but, according to the source, that’s not the case at all.
“The statement was the confirmation and the validation that Heard’s friends needed to run stories about ‘how Depp’s career is ending’, I mean the timing was perfect, but the truth is Disney were already planning to reboot the franchise before Heard’s allegations even surfaced.”
“It all came down to money. Disney weren’t happy that nearly a quarter of the movies budget was Depp’s paycheck even though they made bank in the box office. They wanted to see if they could replicate the success using lesser known actors with a much smaller budget.”
A Forbes report corroborates the source’s claims stating that “Disney is looking to save $90 million by recasting Depp.”
Depp might return as Sparrow.
The source continued: “Johnny has been contacted to see if he’d be interested in, at the very least, making a cameo in the reboot, that alone proves that he isn’t on a blacklist. I’ve even heard that the Hodson’s [Harley Quinn screenwriter] reboot has been sidelined pending salary negotiations with Depp, and the team is very optimistic that he’ll return, in some form, to the franchise at least one more time.”
Depp is likely to accept much less money to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow if his fans, which he has previously praised for all their support through the Amber Heard ordeal, are interested in seeing him return as the famous pirate. He even admitted that he was “overpaid” for the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, for which he has reportedly made over $300 million combined.
Is, or was Johnny Depp ever fired or on a blacklist? The fact that Disney revived Depp’s likeness as Jack Sparrow in the latest update of Rare’s very popular game Sea of Thieves: Pirate’s Life is a good indication that the Mouse House isn’t ready to say farewell to the character, despite previously stating that they wanted to take the franchise in a new direction. This should be exciting news for fans especially considering Depp’s contract with Disney, which Forbes Magazine revealed, awards the actor a profit percentage.
As for the upcoming LGBTQ+ friendly Pirates of the Caribbean movie written by Christina Hodson that is reportedly set to star Australia’s Margot Robbie, there has been no new news regarding that film. This seems to suggest that Disney aren’t too excited about replacing Johnny Depp as one of the world’s most famous pirates.