Captain Jack Sparrow may soon hoist the Jolly Roger once again. Franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed that ongoing discussions and script development are underway to bring Johnny Depp back for a sixth installment of Disney’s multi-billion-dollar Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
Speaking at a recent D23 celebration, Bruckheimer confirmed active efforts to reunite with the Oscar-nominated actor, stating that the team is currently working on a screenplay with the goal of finalizing a deal.
Reports indicate that a potential new chapter may shift focus away from Sparrow as the primary lead. Instead, the narrative could center on a new character portrayed by Margot Robbie, with Captain Jack Sparrow serving in a supporting or advisory capacity—effectively passing the torch to a new generation of high-seas adventure.
Despite 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales recording a franchise-low $795.9 million global box office gross, the five-film franchise has generated over $4.5 billion worldwide, making a brand revival a high priority for Disney.
A Dark Gothic Reimagining: ‘Ebenezer’
While discussions for Pirates 6 continue behind the scenes, Depp is set to mark his return to major Hollywood studio filmmaking in director Ti West’s upcoming horror feature, Ebenezer.
Depp surprised attendees at San Diego Comic-Con by appearing in full Victorian costume and character as Ebenezer Scrooge, interacting with fans inside a specially constructed 1880s British Christmas village in San Diego’s Gaslamp district.
Scheduled for a theatrical release on November 13, 2026, Ebenezer offers a dark, supernatural re-imagining of Charles Dickens’ classic 1843 novella. Moving away from traditional heartwarming holiday adaptations, West’s film approaches the material as a chilling, atmospheric, and gothic horror story detailing Scrooge’s origin as a tortured soul.