Johnny Depp admitted that he would reject any offer to return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
Currently, Johnny Depp is participating in a defamation trial with his ex-wife Amber Heard. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor is suing the Aquaman star for $50 million over abuse claims she made in a 2018 op-ed published in the Washington Post.
On Wednesday April 20, 2022, Johnny Depp was on the stand, recalling that Disney dropped him from the proposed sixth Pirates film within days after Amber Heard’s op-ed was published. The actor expressed that despite being dropped from the franchise that is home to perhaps his most famous film role, Disney continued to keep Jack Sparrow’s presence alive in the theme park ride, while also continuing to sell merchandise tied to the character:
“They didn’t remove my character from the rides. They didn’t stop selling dolls of Captain Jack Sparrow. They didn’t stop selling anything. They just didn’t want there to be something trailing behind me that they’d find.”
When cross-examined by Amber Heard’s attorney Ben Rottenborn, Johnny Depp reaffirmed something he said in his deposition, which expressed his sentiment that he would not accept any offer from Disney to return to the Pirates franchise.
Ben Rottenborn: “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?”
Johnny Depp: “That is true, Mr. Rottenborn.”
The Pirates franchise is based on the original Disneyland attraction of the same name. The first film, The Curse of the Black Pearl, garnered Johnny Depp his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. The franchise consists of five films, with its last entry, Dead Men Tell No Tales, having sailed into theaters in 2017. All five films have grossed a total of $4.5 billion at the global box office.
All five Pirates films are available to stream on Disney Plus. Be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news regarding the ongoing defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more original video content.
Source: Depp v. Heard (via Variety)
