Summary

• Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will be a reboot, moving forward without certain original actors.
• The sixth movie is confirmed to be in development after a rocky start that saw major shakeups behind the scenes.
• The cast of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 remains unknown, hinting at an entirely new ensemble for a fresh start.

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 updates have kept the continuation of the Disney franchise alive despite a considerable hiatus since the last entry. How the Pirates of the Caribbean story will continue, and whether Johnny Depp will return remains a mystery though. When Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was released, its enormous success was unexpected. Before 2003, pirate movies were seen as guaranteed box office flops, but the franchise has remained popular ever since, constantly proving its international mass appeal and earning Depp an Oscar nomination for his role as Jack Sparrow.

2017's Dead Men Tell No Tales, the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, earned close to $800 million worldwide, and Disney announced plans for another pirate adventure in 2018. The studio also announced another installment — a reboot with Margot Robbie in the lead role, which was eventually canceled. However, after several years, the film is still in early development with the Pirates of the Caribbean 6 release date on the distant horizon. Here's what to expect from the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

The Latest Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 News

Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Will Reboot The Franchise

The only news dominating the picture was that of Johnny Depp's potential return, but the latest update confirms Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will reboot the franchise. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer spoke candidly about plans to keep the Pirates series rolling, but doing so in a way that doesn't rely on the availability of "certain actors". Bruckheimer assured fans that PotC 6 would be a reboot, and his reference to the aforementioned actor likely refers to Johnny Depp.

The back and forth between Depp and Disney in the wake of his successful defamation trial with ex-wife Amber Heard has colored much of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 discourse, but Bruckheimer has other ideas. While the latest development doesn't eliminate the possibility of Depp's return, it seems as if the days of Captain Jack Sparrow are finally done.

Read Bruckheimer's full comments below:

We're gonna reboot Pirates, so that is easier to put together because you don't have to wait for certain actors.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Is Confirmed To Be In Development

Another Pirates Movie Is On The Way

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 was confirmed in 2018, but it has taken a rocky road since Disney announced their plans. After Deadpool co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick dropped out in 2019, Disney chose Craig Mazin and Ted Elliott to write the script instead. Director Joachim Rønning is also set to return. In March 2024, producer Jerry Bruckheimer reaffirmed that the project was in the works, but revealed Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will be a reboot.

Stream all 5 Pirates of the Caribbean movies on Disney+.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Cast

Will Any Stars Return?

Though Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is confirmed, nothing is known about the cast quite yet. Jerry Bruckheimer's announcement that the sixth film would reboot the franchise suggests that none of the stars will be back to reprise their roles. Furthermore, Bruckheimer's pointed comments about "certain actors" seem to specifically confirm that Johnny Depp won't be back as Captain Jack Sparrow. The most likely outcome for the newest pirate adventure will be an entirely new ensemble to help give the franchise a fresh start.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Story Details

What Happens Next In The Pirates Franchise?

The Pirates of the Caribbean 6 story details are unclear as it is still not decided which direction the franchise will take going forward. The decision to make the sixth film a reboot opens the door for all sorts of possible story directions and things will become more clear once further details are released. If it is a hard reboot, the entire universe of Pirates might be restarted, or it could serve as a soft reboot that simply tells another story in another corner of the Caribbean. Only time will tell what Disney has planned for Pirates of the Caribbean 6.