News about Pirates of the Caribbean 6 are bound to interest fans of the films, even if that's due to nostalgia alone. Back in 2017, when Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell no Tales was released, director Joachim Rønning confirmed this wasn't the end of the franchise, while later in the year producer Jerry Bruckheimer suggested the sixth installment was in development.
Since the first Pirates of the Caribbean film was released in 2003, it quickly became one of the most beloved franchises. What started as one film became a trilogy and, eventually, two more films were made later on. While big commercial successes, none of the subsequent films enjoyed the positive critical response achieved by The Curse of the Black Pearl, especially after the third movie tied most plot threads and concluded all character arcs in one way or another.
The mixed responses, however, never stopped the creators from producing more Pirates of the Caribbean content, which was most entertaining if nothing else. Hints dropped here and there about a new installment are already reigniting interest in the film series, although we have few solid facts to rely on.
Now that Disney has started their own streaming service and has been investing heavily in franchises such as Star Wars and the Marvel Universe, what could be in store for Pirates of the Caribbean? Here's everything we know so far about what's in store for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise:
Pirates of the Caribbean 6: What Will It Be About?
With Pirates of the Caribbean 6 not even in production yet, as of 2022, it's hard to tell what it's going to be about. What we do know, is that it will likely look quite different from what we have seen so far given that, in the almost two decades since the franchise first saw the light of day, cinema, and pop culture in general, have come a long way.
Back in 2020, Hollywood reports suggested that Disney had plans to diversify the cast to include more women and people of color.
Even earlier, in October 2018, Disney expressed intentions to reboot the franchise, rather than simply continuing from where the fifth film left off. This is partly because Johnny Depp is unlikely to assume the role of Jack Sparrow in the foreseeable future. However, this idea sank early on, as Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, who were employed to work on the reboot left the project.
Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and Ted Elliot who worked in the franchise during its earlier days were subsequently employed, so the reboot idea is apparently happening. However, we don't know what exactly would be erased or otherwise changed, and how.
Many fans will want characters, like Will and Elizabeth, played by Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley respectively, but there's no indication of that. Until we have more solid announcements regarding the sixth film, we can only speculate about its plot and characters.
In late August 2022, long-time producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed that Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will move forward with Ted Elliot, who worked on four different films in the franchise.
Pirates of the Caribbean 6 Release Date
As stated above, there's currently no official release date for Pirates of the Caribbean 6 as of 2022. There was a 6-year gap between the fourth and fifth installments, and with so many issues to consider it, we expect it all to take a while longer, especially since covid has wrecked many a plan in popular culture and not only.
Pirates of the Caribbean 6 Cast
One of the most controversial aspects of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is that Johnny Depp will not be a part of the cast. The actor's reputation has declined in recent years following the scandals he got involved in, including allegations of domestic abuse. It seems that those working with the sixth film would like to keep the possibility of his return open, but it's unlikely that he would have a big role.
Kaya Scodelario, who appeared in film 5, was contracted for a possible sixth installment and would be interested in returning, while there have been talks about Margot Robbie joining the franchise. Bill Nighy (Davie Jones) and Lee Arenberg (Pintel) are reportedly open to returning, while little is known about Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom's intentions, although many fans would be glad to see them returning.
The above suggests much confusion and few definite facts when it comes to Pirates of the Caribbean 6. The delays and uncertainties invite questions: is it really worthwhile to stretch a franchise that peaked at film 1 or film 3 at the latest? And if you make drastic changes in it, will it be the same franchise?
Whether or not you hate Johnny Depp, it's almost impossible to talk about Pirates of the Caribbean without talking about Jack Sparrow. So much of the franchise is build around this character that without him it would hardly be the same franchise. Perhaps this is why the sixth film seems more likely to be a reboot or spin-off. Then again, if none of the main cast we've seen so far is going to return, should the new film still be called a Pirates of the Caribbean installment? Wouldn't it be a completely different story with pirates?
These questions can't be answered unless more is revealed about the ongoing project. Will the project even happen? From what we've seen, it seems to be a matter of when rather than if, given that beloved franchises like this do tend to be reborn from their ashes – whatever the result.
As of July 2021, it appears that a new Pirates of the Caribbean project is still in development by Disney. Unfortunately, there's still no release date, but do check back regularly. As we slowly return to normality there might be more updates for you very soon, so do check this space every now and then if you're keen to watch more Pirates of the Caribbean content.
Related: Is Johnny Depp Returning to Pirates of the Caribbean? Here's What We Know
Meanwhile, if you're looking to watch The Pirates of the Caribbean we've gathered all the best ways for you to stream all 5 films!
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