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Johnny Depp Heartbreak: Actor's Manager Already Secured $22.5 Million For Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Before Disney Dropped Him Following Amber Heard's Op-Ed


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Johnny Depp was close to closing a $22.5 million deal for the Pirates of the Caribbean 6 as his manager had already spoken to Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. However, the hopes of doing the sixth installment of the multi-billion franchise shattered after Amber Heard's op-ed ran.

Johnny Depp, Disney And Pirates Producer Already Had Multi-Million Verbal Agreement

Depp lost millions when Disney decided to drop him from the franchise. Following the announcement that Pirates of the Caribbean would be moving on without him, there had been no progress about the Pirates of the Caribbean 6.

Depp's manager, Jack Whigham, testified remotely on his ongoing trial against Heard in Fairfax, Virginia, Monday. During the cross-examination, Whigham confirmed he and Disney, as well as producer Jerry Bruckheimer already agreed to a $22.5 million fee for Depp for the sixth installment.

Depp's manager admitted that Disney's movie chief Sean Bailey was "noncommittal" about another Pirates movie. However, he and Bruckheimer had been lobbying to make it happen. In 2019, he knew that they lost the project for good months after Heard's op-ed.

READ: Johnny Depp Shock: Is There Any Other Woman Who Accused The Pirates Of The Caribbean Star Abusive And Violent Aside From Amber Heard As Libel Trial Begins?

Whigham was convinced that the Aquaman star had affected Depp's career. The Minamata actor did not just lose millions from Pirates of the Caribbeans. His role as Gellert Grindelwald in the Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts was recast with Mads Mikkelsen replacing him.

Whigham added that Depp has been relegated to lower-paying roles in independent movies. The award-winning actor hasn't filmed a movie since 2020. But Depp was very affected with the Pirates because he was very involved in his character as Captain Jack Sparrow.

"With respect to Johnny, it was catastrophic, because it was a first-person account," Whigham said. "It was not from a journalist, it was not from an observer, it was from someone saying, 'This happened to me.'"

ALSO READ: Amber Heard Shock: Netizens Reportedly Compare Sexual Assault Allegation Against Johnny Depp To Gone Girl Scene, Accused Aquaman Star Of Lying

What Did Johnny Depp Say After Disney Dropped Him From The Pirates Of The Caribbean Franchise

When Johnny Depp took the stand for defamation trial, he admitted that he wanted to give Captain Jack Sparrow a proper ending.

"My feeling was that these characters should be able to have their proper goodbye," he said as quoted by Variety. "There’s a way to end a franchise like that… I planned on continuing until it was time to stop."

Unfortunately, Depp didn't have the chance despite his commitment to the character when Disney decided to move forward with the franchise without him. During the cross-examination, Amber Heard's lawyer Ben Rottenborn asked Depp to confirm that he would not reprise the role again even if Disney paid him "$300 million and a million alpacas."

READ MORE: Johnny Depp Shock: Howard Stern Pokes Fun At Actor's Accent In Amber Heard Defamation Trial

Depp confirmed, saying, "Yes." The actor said that he learned he would be recast just days after Heard's op-ed ran, and he admitted that it wasn't easy for him.

"I didn’t quite understand how after that long relationship, and quite a successful relationship certainly for Disney, that suddenly I was guilty until proven innocent," Depp said.

Depp's fans were furious with Disney's decision because it appeared to them that the studio immediately believed Heard's allegations against him. Many of them showed their support for the actor by saying that they would not watch any Disney projects anymore.

Depp is suing Heard for defamation for her 2018 op-ed about being a domestic abuse survivor. Depp said that even if he wasn't mentioned by name, the article was about him, and the "fictitious" claims ruined his reputation and damaged his career.

Stay tuned for more news and updates about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's ongoing defamation trial.

RELATED: Johnny Depp Shock: Amber Heard Accused Of Blackmailing Ex-Husband After Demand Letter Was Exposed; Pirates Of The Caribbean Star's Friend Says Aquaman Star Threatened To 'Lie About Him'

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