Johnny Depp won’t be returning to Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean series, a representative for the actor has said.
On Monday (27 June), rumours circulated that Depp was poised to reprise the role of Captain Jack Sparrow after Australian news outlet PopTopic reported an alleged deal that would see the actor return to the franchise for around $300m (£245m).
“This is made up,” a representative for the actor told NBC News (via E! News).
The possibility of Depp returning to the franchise was the subject of testimony given during a defamation trial between the actor and Amber Heard, his ex-wife. The trial concluded earlier this month (June 2022).
Depp was asked: “If Disney came to you with $300m dollars 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?”
“That is true,” Depp answered.
Depp has played Captain Jack Sparrow in five films, including 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Two additional Pirates films are currently in the works and many of the star’s fans would like to see him return. An online petition calling for him to reprise his role has 800,000 signatures.
Earlier this month, a jury found that Amber Heard had defamed Depp in a Washington Post op-ed from 2018 and awarded him $10m (£8m) in compensatory damages and $5m (£4m) in punitive damages. Heard was awarded $2m (£1.6m) in compensatory damages, but no punitive damages.
Heard’s lawyer has said the actor plans to appeal.
