You can't make Jack Sparrow walk the plank.
At least, that's how Pirates of the Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer feels about Johnny Depp's iconic character. While talk of new projects in the popular film franchise have made headlines, the question of whether or not Depp will be a part of them remains a topic of discussion. But as Bruckheimer recently shared, writing Depp's character off simply can't be.
"You can't," Bruckheimer said of killing Jack Sparrow in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Dec. 19. "We tried to kill him. It didn't work."
Bruckheimer also noted he would be glad to have Depp—who won a $50 million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard this year—back on set.
"I would love to have him in the movie," he told the outlet. "He's a friend, a terrific actor and it's unfortunate that personal lives creep into everything we do."
When asked if Disney would put Depp in a Pirates of the Caribbean film again after his highly-publicized trial, Bruckheimer shared, "You'd have to ask them. I can't answer that question."
On June 1, a Virginia jury found Heard liable of defaming Depp in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed, in which she described herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse" without specifically naming the actor in the piece. The jury awarded him $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Penney Azcarate later reduced the punitive damages to $350,000 to meet the state's statutory cap.
Although Heard filed to appeal the verdict, she released a statement Dec. 19 announcing she had made the decision to settle the case instead.
During the trial, Depp's acting career was discussed and, at one point, the 59-year-old testified that he had no interest in playing Jack Sparrow onscreen again.
"The fact is, Mr. Depp, if Disney came to you with $300 million 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? Correct?" Heard's lawyer asked, to which Depp replied while on the stand, "That is true."
Despite declaring that he is done with Jack Sparrow on the film front, it seems safe to say Depp isn't ready to hang up the pirate costume for good. Earlier this month, Depp reprised the beloved role to make a video for a 11-year-old fan named Kori, who is currently in palliative care.
The video—which was done in collaboration with the Make-A-Wish Foundation—featured Depp as Jack Sparrow applauding Kori for launching his new YouTube channel, Kraken the Box. During the clip, Depp—in full character—noted that he would tune in to the youngster's videos, adding, "I am your No. 1 fan, Captain Kori."
The actor also had a FaceTime call with Kori, where he suggested to "knight" him as a pirate. The moment was as good as treasure.
So, Depp still has it down pat when it comes to playing Jack, but it seems only time will tell if the actor will jump fully back on board the ship.