Johnny Depp Revealed A Sad Truth About Jack Sparrow During Defamation Case
The legacy of "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp has been put on full display this week during the ongoing defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, who is accused of tarnishing it with alleged claims of spousal abuse. With each new day of testimony, the public learns more and more about Depp's life in the limelight and behind the scenes, including sad truths about his career and future.
"When the allegations were made, were rapidly circling the globe, telling people I was a drunken, cocaine-fueled menace who beat women — suddenly in my 50s — it's over," Depp recalled feeling, while on the stand Wednesday, April 20, 2022 (via Reuters). Describing what Heard's allegations had cost him in the long run, Depp said: "Nothing less than everything." This references the fact that the actor wound up losing his roles in both the "Fantastic Beasts" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" film franchises as a result of the abuse scandal.
At one point during Wednesday's testimony, Depp was asked about some claims he made in the past in regard to Disney and whether he'd ever be willing to work with the media giant again in the future, should they want to ever kiss and make up — perhaps with a Jack Sparrow appearance in the next "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. His answer left "Pirates of the Caribbean," and more specifically, Captain Jack fans heartbroken.
Johnny Depp says he will never return to the role of Jack Sparrow, not even if Disney pays him $300M
Sorry, "Pirates of the Caribbean" fans. Looking ahead to the future, the real-world legal battles between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have had such an impact that it appears that Depp's days of playing Captain Jack Sparrow for Disney have been sunk for good.
The actor confirmed during his testimony on Wednesday that there is no way he could ever work for the Mickey Mouse company again — not even for hundreds of millions of dollars (via Variety). "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?" asked attorney Ben Rottenborn, who is representing Amber Heard (via Law & Crime Channel).
"That is true, Mr. Rottenborn," replied Depp.
Over the course of Heard's defamation trial, Depp's legal team has attempted to prove that she caused harm to his reputation and career by making abuse claims in a December 2018 Washington Post article, which didn't identify Depp by name (via Variety). Heard's lawyers have been trying to show that any damage caused was not a result of the article, but instead came before the op-ed was published. They argued Wednesday that Depp's disdain for Disney had stemmed from a reported falling out that the two parties had in October 2018, with an article from the Daily Mail at the time claiming Depp was "out as Jack Sparrow." The notion that Depp would never return to the role — not even for $300 million — came from statements that the actor made in his deposition (via Variety).
Should he win, Depp is seeking $50 million in compensatory damages and a punitive award of at least $350,000 (via NPR).
Where will the Pirates of the Caribbean series go without Depp?
Johnny Depp's time as Captain Jack Sparrow dates back to the launch of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise in 2004. "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" introduced moviegoers to the iconic character, and suffice to say, he became the centerpiece of the series in no time. For the next 13 years, across four films, Depp stuck with the part, remaining a highlight despite the IP's diminishing popularity and financial viability. With him now gone as rumblings of a sixth movie persist, what does the future hold for "Pirates of the Caribbean"?
Narratively speaking, the absence of Captain Jack shouldn't be too difficult to work around, seeing as the next "Pirates of the Caribbean" adventures will apparently be reboots. Deadline reported as much in 2019, noting that Ted Elliott and Craig Mazin were collaborating on a new story. Come mid-2020, writer Christina Hodson of "Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey" fame had signed on to write a separate reboot with Margot Robbie as the lead (via The Hollywood Reporter). However, in the years since these news tidbits came to light, the next "Pirates" flicks seem to have fallen into production limbo.
It may have degraded somewhat over the years, but "Pirates of the Caribbean" remains one of Disney's most beloved film series. Regardless of the quality or plot, it stands to reason that fans would come out in droves to buy tickets to see more installments. Although should such features ever make their way to the big screen, it would be unwise to hold your breath waiting for a Johnny Depp cameo as Captain Jack Sparrow.