The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been a fan favorite for years, with its iconic characters and exciting storylines. However, the future of the series has been uncertain ever since Johnny Depp’s legal troubles forced him to exit the franchise. Now, it seems that even the female lead, Keira Knightley, might not be returning for the next installment.
Knightley played Elizabeth Swann in the first three Pirates films, opposite Depp and Orlando Bloom. While she made a brief appearance in 2017’s Dead Men Tell No Tales, she recently hinted that she might not be returning for the next movie. During a recent interview, Knightley spoke about how she felt about her character’s storyline, saying, “What about Elizabeth Swan? I mean, she sailed away so nicely. She sailed away in brilliant style.”
Jerry Bruckheimer, one of the producers on the project, expressed his desire for Depp to make a comeback. During his appearance on the Oscars red carpet on March 13, Bruckheimer confirmed that they are working on the next installment and hinted that Depp might reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow.
When asked about Depp’s return, Bruckheimer told Entertainment Tonight, “We’ll see. I would love it. I would love to have him in the movie – that’s all that I can tell you.” Bruckheimer also expressed his excitement about the upcoming film and said, “We’re all working on it. We’ll see how it comes out. We’re very excited, I think we’re gonna have a great screenplay, and we’re getting close.”
Previously, Depp’s agent claimed that the actor missed out on an £18 million ($22.5m) fee for Pirates of the Caribbean 6 when he was facing trial for Amber Heard’s allegations of domestic abuse. Depp also revealed that he was dropped from the film after his ex-wife wrote a 2018 piece for the Washington Post, alleging that she had been the victim of physical and sexual violence.
There were also speculations that Pirates of the Caribbean might see a female lead in the form of Margot Robbie. However, nothing has been confirmed yet, and we are yet to know who will take the baton of the franchise. All we can do for now is wait and see what the next installment of Pirates of the Caribbean has in store for us.