Despite his insistence otherwise, Johnny Depp could very well return to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, a former Disney executive claims.
On the heels of his defamation win against ex-wife Amber Heard, the actor said he got his "life back." Now, a return to the hugely-popular Disney franchise might not be as farfetched as people think.
"I absolutely believe post-verdict that 'Pirates' is primed for rebooting with Johnny as Capt. Jack back on board," the former Walt Disney Studios exec told People magazine. "There is just too much potential box-office treasure for a beloved character deeply embedded in the Disney culture."
The insider added, "With [producer] Jerry Bruckheimer riding high on the massive success of Tom Cruise in 'Top Gun: Maverick,' there is huge appetite for bringing back bankable Hollywood stars in massively popular franchises."
Johnny starred in five "Pirates" films, and he even earned an Oscar nomination for playing Capt. Jack Sparrow in the original "Pirates of the Caribbean" in 2003.
While testifying in his civil trial, which stemmed from Amber's 2018 op-ed published in the Washington Post, Johnny said he wouldn't work with Disney again, even if the Mouse House offered him a $300 million paycheck. The company, he felt, saw him as "guilty until proven innocent" after the op-ed. The actor did, however, say he wanted to give the character a "proper goodbye" and would have made "Pirates" movies "until it was time to stop."
A separate insider told People that Johnny would have to consider a Disney reunion if the money was right. A different studio source didn't delve into Johnny's Disney ties, but believes someone will give him a chance to act again.
"He is very likable and very talented. A studio will just have to gauge and see it worth the risk and value, but he also won public opinion," the source said. "He gained a whole new fan base through this and, yes, he will be back."