Johnny Depp is undoubtedly one of the biggest actors in the world right now, who made a name for himself in iconic films such as Edward Scissorhands, Donnie Brasco, and of course – Pirates of The Caribbean. With that said, the new Pirates of the Caribbean report without Johnny Depp has only proven one of Hollywood’s problematic trends which are prevalent now.
Johnny Depp’s role as the ever-loveable yet whimsical Captain Jack Sparrow catapulted him to a level of success not seen before his time. This is especially true considering the fact that before him, pirate movies never really received any widespread acclaim.
New Pirates of the Caribbean Reboot Without Johnny Depp Proves Hollywood’s Problematic Trend Continues
It’s been almost seven years since the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie graced theaters, and Disney is still charting a course for the beloved franchise’s future. Various ideas have been floated, including a film starring Margot Robbie and plans to reintegrate Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow. However, it seems the franchise is opting for a complete reboot, embracing fresh concepts and characters.
In a recent conversation with ComicBook.com about his latest film The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer discussed the future of some of his renowned franchises, including Top Gun and Pirates of the Caribbean. When asked which might return to the big screen first, Bruckheimer hinted that Pirates is undergoing a reset.
“It’s hard to tell. You don’t know, you really don’t know,” Bruckheimer began. “You don’t know how they come together. You just don’t know. Because with Top Gun you have an actor who is iconic and brilliant. And how many movies he does before he does Top Gun, I can’t tell you. But we’re gonna reboot Pirates, so that is easier to put together because you don’t have to wait for certain actors.”
To the surprise of no one, many fans took to Twitter and didn’t take too kindly to the Pirates of the Caribbean being rebooted instead of getting a proper sequel, especially without Johnny Depp.
No one will be there for DEI fest. Not sorry. Johnny deserves better.
— Alexander Vancel (@AlexanderVancel) March 26, 2024
It doesn’t need to be a reboot. It’s perfect the way it is.
— David Reed (@DavidRe33086488) March 26, 2024
We're tired of rebooting movies, we need more original ones
— 👑 SonesLoveSoshi 💗 (@soneslovesoshi) March 26, 2024
No more reboots or remakes please
— TheMadFanBoyBlack (@MadFanBoyBlack) March 26, 2024
It doesn’t need to be a reboot. It’s perfect the way it is.
— David Reed (@DavidRe33086488) March 26, 2024
The Pirates of the Caribbean reboot’s decision not to include Johnny Depp highlights a trend of simply repurposing old intellectual properties for reboots. It disregards the legacy and fan nostalgia associated with the original, opting instead to cater to a new generation without concern for the millions of fans who grew up with the franchise. This approach undermines the importance of originality in storytelling.
Pirates of the Caribbean Has One Unique Similarity To The Last of Us
According to the IMDB trivia page for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean effectively broke the ‘Pirate movie curse’ that haunted the genre since the mid-1970s. Previous films like Swashbuckler (1976), The Pirate Movie (1982), Nate and Hayes (1983), Yellowbeard (1983), and Pirates (1986) had all underperformed. Even later attempts with Waterworld (1995) and Cutthroat Island (1995) failed. Despite low initial expectations, Pirates of the Caribbean defied the odds, becoming a global success both artistically and commercially.
In a similar vein, Pedro Pascal’s The Last of Us ended up breaking the curse of video games to live-action adaptations. Before the show, most video game to live-action shows or movies were largely box-office failures and duds in general. Therefore, it is evident that both Johnny Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean and Pedro Pascal’s The Last of Us broke the curses for their respective genres.
