Johnny Depp could be closer than ever to making a shocking comeback to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, according to a new report. Despite having been booted out of the Disney saga following his legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard, Depp’s slow but sure comeback could apparently be complete by returning to the role of Jack Sparrow for a sixth Pirates movie.

According to The Express, a deal to bring Depp back to Disney’s juggernaut adventure franchise is “very close” and the actor is in “advanced” talks to reprise his Jack Sparrow role. For many, this could be a hard thing to believe considering the fallout of Depp’s fall from grace, and his adamant stance that he would never work with Disney again after the way they treated him during the time of his alleged “wife-beating” and the numerous trials that followed.

The report claims a “senior executive” has confirmed that Depp has met with Disney bosses and “It is very close to a done deal.” Continuing, the executive said:

“A script is already in place and Disney views this as a series reboot, meaning the door will be wide open for more future episodes for Johnny, despite everything he has been through. They actually had two scripts ready to go – one with Johnny in mind, the other without him – and they are ready to can the one without him.”

The report also claims that if this deal goes ahead, the planned release date for Pirates of the Caribbean 6 would be as early as Easter 2026. If that is true, then filming would need to begin sometime in the next month or so to be anywhere near hitting that kind of deadline.

The ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Franchise Has a Murky Future

Following Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (or Salazar’s Revenge, depending on where you live), the swashbuckling franchise seemed to be dead in the water after weak reviews and Depp’s subsequent legal issues. However, in recent years there have been several reports suggesting that, just like the Flying Dutchman, the Pirates franchise could be about to resurface in one of several ways.

The two most likely options – which tie into the unnamed executive’s mention of two different scripts being considered – have previously been addressed by long-time franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who has noted on several occasions that there are scripts out there for a complete reboot of the franchise (with Margot Robbie as the rumored lead) and a Johnny Depp return in a direct fifth sequel.

Bruckheimer has also voiced his preference that having Depp back in the role of Jack Sparrow would be, for him, the only real way to continue the franchise, and he hoped that it could happen. If these new reports are true, then perhaps the inevitable Jack Sparrow’s incredible run of luck, and that of the former Hollywood idol that plays him, has not quite run out just yet.