It’s been one of the most unexpected reversals in Hollywood’s franchise playbook: Disney, after years of putting distance between itself and Johnny Depp, now appears to be steering directly toward his return as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean 6.For fans, it’s a moment they weren’t sure would ever come. The studio that once shut the door now seems to be leaving it wide open—and producer Jerry Bruckheimer is all but confirming that conversations with Depp have happened. By his account, Depp is open to a comeback if the script is strong enough to tempt him back to the high seas.Credit: DisneyThat’s a far cry from the very public fallout in 2018, when Disney cut ties following Depp’s legal battles with Amber Heard. During the 2022 defamation trial, Depp famously said he wouldn’t return to the role “for $300 million and a million alpacas.”At the time, the statement sounded like the end of Captain Jack forever. But the years since have seen both a shift in public opinion and a realization within Disney that Pirates without its most famous character may not be a gamble worth taking.Bruckheimer, who has always championed Depp’s creative ownership of the role, insists the current holdup isn’t about whether Depp will be in the film—it’s about perfecting the screenplay. Early work by The Last of Us co-creator Craig Mazin and original Pirates writer Ted Elliott has been followed by a script from Dead Men Tell No Tales writer Jeff Nathanson, which Bruckheimer claims boasts an “amazing” third act. The pieces appear to be lining up for a return, with only the official announcement missing.Credit: YouTube/DisneyOne Outlet Throws Cold Water on Johnny Depp’s ComebackJust as it seemed the tide was turning fully in Depp’s favor, Gizmodo dropped an article that reads like one last-ditch effort to sway the conversation. The piece argues that bringing Depp back is unnecessary, calling Captain Jack Sparrow a character who “overstayed his welcome” even before Depp’s personal life became tabloid fodder.It suggests that even the best reboot script shouldn’t feel obligated to shoehorn in the character, and goes so far as to say that if the only way to make a new Pirates movie is with Depp, maybe the franchise should be left at the bottom of the ocean.“But even if someone writes the best Pirates reboot script ever, topping even the seaworthy hijinks of The Curse of the Black Pearl, do we really need Depp and his character to be shoehorned into it? Captain Jack Sparrow had already overstayed his welcome even before Depp’s personal troubles became headline fodder. Perhaps if there’s no chance of getting a Pirates movie without him, we should consider letting the idea sink to the bottom of the ocean forever,” Gizmodo’s Cheryl Eddy wrote.Credit: DisneyIt’s a sharp contrast to the mood in fan circles, where social media posts and comment threads are filled with variations of “No Depp, no Pirates.” Many point to the stalled Margot Robbie-led spinoff and the lack of enthusiasm for a full reboot as proof that audiences want the original flavor back. Without Sparrow, they argue, the magic just isn’t there—comparing it to trying to make Indiana Jones without Harrison Ford or Rocky without Sylvester Stallone, and they’re not wrong.Fans Should Have the Final SayRegardless of how Gizmodo or other outlets feel, the reality is that Disney is in the business of selling tickets, and right now, the surest bet for Pirates 6 is a return to what worked.The studio has already spent years circling a reboot without traction, while Depp’s absence has done little to excite longtime viewers. If the goal is to reignite the franchise’s box office power, the path forward seems obvious.The real question now is timing—when Disney will feel ready to make the official announcement, and how they’ll frame Depp’s return after so many years apart. For fans, the hope is that the deal gets done, the script meets everyone’s expectations, and Captain Jack Sparrow sails again.As for Gizmodo’s pushback, it may simply become another footnote in the story of how one of Hollywood’s most controversial casting reversals came to be. And if the studio is truly listening to its audience, this ship may have already left the dock.The post The Final Push to Cut Johnny Depp From ‘Pirates 6’ Has Arrived appeared first on Inside the Magic.