Disney are reportedly hoping to get Johnny Depp to star in the sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film and a Disney Plus spin-off series in a $300 million deal.
Bosses are said to want the actor, 59, to reprise his role as the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow after he won his blockbuster legal battle against his ex-wife Amber Heard, 36, earlier this month.
Johnny was reportedly dropped from the franchise in 2018 and said during his recent defamation trial he wouldn't be open to returning in the future.
A source however has claimed Disney want the actor to reprise his iconic role in not just the sixth film, but also a spin-off series exploring the character's backstory.
The insider told Poptopic the company are keen to get Depp back for the sixth film as well as the spin-off series - with it claimed they're offering him around £244 million.
They told the outlet earlier this month: "Disney are very interested in patching up their relationship with [Depp]."
The source said the company reached out to Depp prior to his defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard - which concluded with him winning the legal battle.
They claimed Disney had asked if he would be interested in returning for another film, with him reportedly sent a gift basket and a "heartfelt letter" at some point by them.
The source said: "The studio has already penned up a draft for a film about Jack Sparrow - so they are very hopeful that Johnny will forgive them and return as [his character]."
The source claimed Disney are preparing a deal that's worth $301 million (£244 million), including a sizeable donation to a charity of Depp's choice.
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Depp was reportedly dropped from the sixth film around the time that his ex-wife Heard wrote her now-infamous Washington Post op-ed about domestic abuse.
The actor sued Heard for $50 million after she wrote the op-ed in 2018 in which she called herself a "public figure representing domestic abuse." Heard countersued Depp for $100 million.
Although she didn't name him in the article, Depp's lawyers claimed that it had falsely implied he had abused Heard.
It was claimed the article had affected his career, with it alleged he had been due to earn $22 million from the sixth Pirates of the Caribbean, before being dropped.
Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages in his defamation suit by the jury.
The jury also awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages.
During his trial, Johnny was asked if he would ever return to the franchise.
Amber's lawyer Benn Rottenborn asked the actor: "The fact is, Mr. Depp, if Disney came to you with $300 million and a million alpacas, nothing on this earth would get you to go back and work with Disney on a Pirates of the Caribbean film? Correct?".
To which, Johnny replied: "That is true, Mr. Rottenborn."
The Mirror approached representatives for Disney and Johnny Depp for comment.
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