It seems Johnny Depp really loves Jack Sparrow (and if he doesn’t, he probably like the vast amounts of cash Disney pays to play him), as TheWrap reports that the actor is close to officially reprising the role in Pirates of the Caribbean 5.
Back in May, the first draft of Pirates 5 script was completed by Terry Rossio, as Disney wants to get it made as soon as possible. However at the time, Johnny Depp indicated he hadn’t read the script and it wasn’t clear if he would return (although he seemed to be open to it).
While Disney is keen to get started asap, Depp has previously suggested he may wants to hold off a bit, previously saying, “It boils down to story, script and filmmaker. It’s not something where I would say, ‘Let’s shoot it next month to get it out by Christmas 2012.’ We should hold off for a bit. They should be special, just like they are special to me.”
There is no indication on when production might start on Pirates of the Caribbean 5, especially since a director hasn’t been formally attached. Back in January, Disney indicated they wanted to bring back Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides director Rob Marshall to direct Pirates of the Caribbean 5, although nothing is official yet.
It’s little surprise Disney is keen to sign Depp, as Pirates 4 has just crossed the $1 billion gross mark, and is now the third highest grossing movie ever outside North America. It’s an incredible cash cow, and as it’s believed the series has netted Depp $350 million so far, it’s perhaps not surprising he’s interested in returning.