According to a spokesperson for the actor, Johnny Depp won’t be making another appearance in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean series.
On Monday, following a report by Australian news outlet PopTopic about an alleged agreement that would see the actor return to the franchise for roughly $300m (£245m), rumors started to swirl that Depp was ready to retake the role of Captain Jack Sparrow.
A spokesperson for the actor informed NBC News that “this is made up”(via E! News).
In testimony given during a defamation trial between the actor and Amber Heard, his ex-wife, Depp’s potential comeback to the franchise was discussed. The trial concluded earlier this month (June 2022).
As per Yahoo, Depp was asked: “If Disney came to you with $300m dollars 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?”
Depp answered, “That is true”.
Depp has portrayed Captain Jack Sparrow in five movies, including 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Many of his fans would like to see him return for the two additional Pirates films that are currently in the works. 800,000 people have signed an online petition calling for him to reprise his role.
A jury determined earlier this month that Amber Heard had defamed Depp in a Washington Post op-ed from 2018 and gave him $10m (£8m) in compensatory damages and $5m (£4m) in punitive damages. Heard received a compensatory damages award of $2m (£1.6m), but no punitive damages.
Heard’s lawyer has said the actor plans to appeal.