POPTOPIC retracts in full our 2022 article claiming Disney was preparing a US$301 million deal for Johnny Depp to return as Jack Sparrow. The report was based on an unverified anonymous tip. We did not establish that the alleged offer existed and should not have presented it with the confidence we did.
Retraction issued: 18 September 2026. The original publication date, 7 June 2022, has been retained.
What we got wrong
The original article described its anonymous source as trusted and close to Disney. That description was not a substitute for independent verification. We withdraw the US$301 million claim and the related claims about a Disney+ project, an apology and a charitable donation. Readers should not rely on the original article as evidence of any such arrangement.
On 28 June 2022, Entertainment Tonight reported a direct denial from Deppās representative, who called the report āfalseā and said the actor was not in talks to reprise the role at that time. UPI also reported the representativeās response to NBC News: āThis is made up.ā
These denials concern the specific 2022 story. This retraction makes no claim about any later discussions or future casting decisions.
Responsibility for publishing the unverified claim rests with POPTOPIC. We apologise to our readers, Johnny Depp and Disney for the inaccurate report and the confusion it caused.
Our editorial direction has changed
POPTOPIC has since changed its editorial direction. Our renewed standard requires corroboration, a clear distinction between reporting and speculation, and visible corrections when we get something wrong. Anonymous tips can lead to reporting; they cannot replace verification.
Our founder explains that change in POPTOPIC 2026 and Beyond: A New Look, a Better Standard, and What Comes Next.
This notice replaces the original article at the same address so anyone following an old link can find the retraction. We have removed the original claims rather than leaving them beneath a correction.
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