Jerry Bruckheimer, the producer behind “Pirates of the Caribbean” and many other blockbuster films, said he would “love” to have Johnny Depp return to the “Pirates” franchise, reprising his role as Jack Sparrow.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bruckheimer was asked if the outcome of Depp’s defamation trial with Amber Heard would lead Disney to put Depp back in the film series.
Depp sued Heard, his ex-wife, for libel and Heard counter-sued. Their case played out in a high profile and weeks-long trial earlier this year, during which Depp claimed Heard ruined his reputation when she penned a 2018 op-ed for the Washington Post in which she said she was abused.
He said it led to him losing out on jobs, like the “Pirates” series, which is owned by Disney. “I’m sure that Disney was trying to cut ties to be safe; the ‘MeToo’ movement was in full swing at that point,” he said.
Many details of the pair’s troubled marriage and alleged abuse were shared by both sides during the trial. In the end, Heard was ordered to pay $10.35 million to Depp. The jury also awarded Heard $2 million in her countersuit. This week, Heard and Depp settled for $1 million, Depp’s attorneys said in a statement.
In the interview with The Hollywood Reporter’s James Hibberd, Bruckheimer, who produced five “Pirates” movies starring Depp, said he couldn’t speak for Disney in regards to Depp returning.
“I really don’t know,” he said. But he added, “I would love to have him in the movie. He’s a friend, a terrific actor and it’s unfortunate that personal lives creep into everything we do.”
Hibberd said that Depp “hinted that if he were to return, the film should have a clear ending for his character,” and asked if Bruckheimer would ever kill off Depp’s character, Jack Sparrow.
“You can’t. We tried to kill him. It didn’t work,” Bruckheimer replied.
Bruckheimer is also behind “The Lone Ranger,” starring Depp, and films like “Pearl Harbor, “Remember the Titans” and “Top Gun,” as well as TV series like “Amazing Race” and “CSI.”
