Filling Johnny Depp’s shoes inPirates of the Caribbean 6will be no easy task, but after a concerning four-movie trend, this won’t even be the greatest obstacle for Disney’s next installment. Depp’s Jack Sparrow is an iconic feature of thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise, but it’s currently unclear whether this character will make a return. While the best-case scenario would see, at the very least, a cameo, there’s plenty of indication that Johnny Depp alone won’t be enough to guaranteePirates of the Caribbean6’s success.
ThePirates of the Caribbeanfranchisehas been at a standstill for the better part of a decade, with the fifth installment,Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, being released in 2017. Since then, Disney has faced significant controversy. Depp was dismissed from his role due to the ongoing legal conflict with his ex-wife, Amber Heard, and even once things had settled down, the actor said he wouldn’t return for any amount of money. However,Disney’sPirates of the Caribbeantroublesstarted long before there was any question of Depp’s involvementwith the franchise.
Pirates Of The Caribbean Has Been On A Downward Trend Since The First Movie & 6 Needs To Fix It
Pirates Of The Caribbean’s Sequels Never Added Up To The Original
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearlwas a surprising success. The film established Depp’s beloved character and introduced a world far beyond the amusement park ride on which the movie was based.The Curse of the Black Pearlbrought in $305 million domestically, easily opening the door to further sequels. Critics also greatly approved of this firstPiratesmovie, and the film holds an 86 percent score onRotten Tomatoes. However, while success continued in some aspects,the franchise saw the start of a downward trend immediately after this initial 2003 movie.
Pirates Of The Caribbean Franchise Box Office & Rotten Tomatoes Scores
$305,413,918
86%
$423,315,812
72%
$309,420,425
$241,071,802
54%
$172,558,876
60%
The sequel,Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, outperformed its predecessor at the box office (primarily due to the hype following the first film), but its critical reception didn’t quite stack up. Jack Sparrow remained a great character, but the sequel had lost some of its flavor—a certain thrill that continued to dwindle with each new release. Reviews got worse with every film, andbox office numbers never again came close to the $423 million ofDead Man’sChest. By the release ofPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Talesin 2017, Disney’s domestic box office sat at only $173 million and aRotten Tomatoesscore of 60%.
Pirates Of The Caribbean’s Downward Trend Is A Problem Whether Johnny Depp Returns Or Not
Johnny Depp Isn’t Enough To Save The Franchise
Looking at the trend that started withPirates of the Caribbean’s very first sequel, it’s clear that Disney is facing a problem with this franchise whether or not Johnny Depp returns. After all, the actor has been a constant presence throughout the franchise, but reception has gone down regardless. As beloved as Jack Sparrow and his quirky antics are, this character alone has already proven thathe isn’t enough to bring audiences back to the theaters or garner critics' approval.
Yet another sequel that falls short would essentially be the final nail in this franchise’s coffin, especially after all these years.
Therefore, as Disney continues toprepare forPirates of the Caribbean 6, it will have to find a way—aside from getting Depp on board—to limit the financial risk. Yet another sequel that falls short would essentially be the final nail in this franchise’s coffin, especially after all these years.Pirates of the Caribbean6can’t just be better thanDead Men Tell No Tales. If there is any hope in revitalizing this series, the upcoming Disney film must outperform all four ofCurse of the BlackPearl’s sequels.
What Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Can Do To Beat The Previous 4 Sequels
Disney Has To Tap Back Into The Original Formula
While Depp’s return wouldn’t makePirates of the Caribbean 6a shoo-in, it can’t be denied that Jack Sparrow carries some weight. It’s no wonder that Disney has changed its tune about Depp, neither confirming nor denying that he could be in the upcoming film. Depp’s appearance, whether as a lead or cameo character, would undoubtedly draw audiences back to the theaters thanks to the nostalgia factor of his role. However,Dead Man’s Chestalready proved that a good theatrical turnout isn’t enough—Disney must makePirates of the Caribbean6a good moviethat’s comparable toCurse of the Black Pearl.
There are reportedly multiplePirates of the Caribbeanprojects in talks at Disney, though a 6th movie is the priority.
Nostalgia is certainly key here. Movies have come a long way sinceCurse of the Black Pearl, but the almost simplistic campiness of the film went leagues beyond the over-the-top CGI ofDead Men Tell No Tales.It’s important that Disney use this film as a sort of homage to the original 2003 moviethat set the bar so high, leaning into everything that made it a thrilling and entertaining guilty pleasure. Of course, a great cast is important as well, whether that includes Depp, Orlando Bloom, or Keira Knightley or not. It will be an uphill battle, but it’s exciting to see what Disney will come up with forPirates of the Caribbean 6.
