Johnny Depp Reveals Leaving Jack Sparrow Triggered Separation Anxiety

Johnny Depp has played a lot of oddballs, but Jack Sparrow is the one that blew the doors open. And two decades ago, he basically called his shot. Now the franchise is in that awkward place where a reboot is brewing, fans want a real goodbye, and the guy who made Captain Jack a phenomenon might actually come back... maybe.

Back in 2005, Depp already knew he was not done with Jack

In September 2005, while doing press for Tim Burton's stop-motion gem Corpse Bride (which absolutely has cult-classic status now), Depp chatted with Julian Roman for blackfilm.com and talked about the weird comedown that happens when a shoot wraps. He said he gets attached to his characters, feels that separation anxiety when they vanish, and with Jack he had a hunch there would be more. When Disney floated making Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3 back-to-back, he was all in, admitting he selfishly wanted to play the guy again.

What happened next: five films, massive business, cultural takeover

The first Pirates was a genuine swing for Disney, folding creepy-cursed-pirate horror into a summer tentpole. It worked. Kids dressed like Jack for Halloween for years, families still throw these on for comfort viewing, and Depp turned swagger, slur, and wildly specific body language into a character you cannot picture anyone else touching. Sequels 2 and 3 pulled huge numbers even while critics shrugged, and fans kept coming back for more.

• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (July 9, 2003) - Jack teams up with Will Turner to rescue Elizabeth Swann and undo a curse tied to stolen Aztec gold.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (July 7, 2006) - Jack hunts down Davy Jones's heart to dodge eternal servitude, with familiar faces and new enemies complicating the chase.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (May 25, 2007) - The crew risks everything to haul Jack out of Davy Jones's Locker and rally pirates for a final stand.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (May 20, 2011) - The quest moves to the Fountain of Youth, with Blackbeard and Jack's old flame Angelica tangling the map.
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (May 26, 2017) - A vengeful Captain Salazar forces Jack to seek the Trident of Poseidon to survive and seize control of the seas.

Why recasting Jack is a producer's nightmare

Depp's entire physical approach to Jack (the tilt, the hands, the off-kilter musicality of the voice) is the franchise's heartbeat. Swap him out and the whole thing feels like a theme-park knockoff. That is not just fan bias; the character is the brand. Which is why the next move actually matters.

So what is going on with Pirates 6?

Marvel handled Chadwick Boseman and T'Challa with real grace in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Different situation, same lesson: beloved characters deserve a thoughtful exit. Depp has said he wanted that for Jack, and at one point he was even approached to help write the sixth film. His take:

"I, in fact, had been approached to take part in writing Pirates 6... my feeling was that these characters should be able to have their proper goodbye, as it were. A franchise can only last for so long, and there is a way to end a franchise like that. And I thought that the characters deserved... to end their franchise on a very good note. I planned on continuing until it was time to stop."

As of October 2025, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is officially in active development as a reboot, with no release date on the books. That label makes it sound like a clean slate, but behind the scenes it is messier. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has talked to Depp about returning after Disney cut ties with him during the Amber Heard allegations fallout. Bruckheimer told Entertainment Weekly that "if he likes the way the part's written, I think he would do it," and called Depp a good friend and a unique artist who "created Captain Jack."

Translation: the studio is exploring a fresh start, but the door is not fully closed if the script hits the right notes. Whether that means a cameo, a handoff, or one last full send is the million-dollar question.

Where this lands

Depp became a household name off these movies for a reason, and every Pirates entry after that 2005 interview made a ton of money. If the franchise is going to pivot, give Jack Sparrow a proper farewell on the way out. Then do whatever reboot you want.

Which Pirates is your favorite? And yes, all five films are streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.