Pirates of the Caribbean 6 has a much tougher task than replacing Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow if he doesn't return

Pirates of the Caribbean has consistently been one of Hollywood's most profitable and successful properties for several decades now, with Johnny Depp's iconic performance leading many sequels to success. However, with Depp's involvement in the franchise increasingly uncertain, it's unclear exactly how the series will continue in the future. Pirates of the Caribbean 6 has been confirmed, but it's hard to see this sequel/reboot being a success without Depp.

The plans for Pirates of the Caribbean were first announced in 2018, with Dead Pool co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick joined the project. When they pulled out, the film struggled to gain a foothold and was delayed further as Johnny Depp found himself at the center of a public trial in 2022. It is now being suggested that Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will be more of a reboot than a sequelwhich suggests that Depp's involvement may have been reduced or removed. Pirates of the Caribbean We can continue without Jack Sparrow, but it will be difficult.

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will have to maintain the franchise's impressive box office average

It will not be easy to maintain the same commercial success

From Gore Verbinski's original film to this popular Disney franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean has been a huge commercial success. All of the sequels performed excellently at the box office, with Dead Man'and Chest raising more than US$423 million worldwide (via Mojo Box Office). The third entry in the franchise, At the end of the worldit was also a huge success that grossed over $309 million, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that the success of these early films wasn't just a fluke. From there, the franchise continued to perform consistently well at the box office.

However, it will be very difficult if Depp doesn't return to Pirates of the Caribbean 6as he has been the unique appeal of these films since the beginning. These are some of Johnny Depp's best films, and his performance as the charismatic Captain Jack Sparrow has been the undeniable highlight of this series. If the film ends up being a reboot of the original, it would also imply that the character of Jack Sparrow would be recast with another actor – and whoever that is, it might not be well-received by fans of the original.

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 taking so long to happen makes the box office risk greater

It's been seven years since the previous film

Another big problem for Pirates of the Caribbean 6 it's the constant delays that hindered the sequel's development. It's been seven years since Dead men tell no storiesand much of the excitement surrounding the franchise has likely died down. The most recent sequel was also the worst in the franchisewith critics and audiences agreeing that it marked a new low point for the Pirates series. This could be a real problem for the sixth film, as it probably took too long for a direct sequel, but perhaps not long enough for a reboot either.

The seven years since Dead men tell no stories gave audiences plenty of time to reflect on the failure of the most recent installment, and the franchise undoubtedly took a hit for some. It would take serious work to rebuild the series' image in the public consciousness, and recasting Depp's character certainly doesn't seem like the right way to go. Many stars also refused to return to Pirates of the Caribbeanwhich means the sixth film would start from square one – which can't be good for box office potential.

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 could be a tough sell with or without Johnny Depp

The actor may not be enough to save the series

Even if Johnny Depp wants to go back to Pirates of the Caribbean 6the optics of the sequence are still not ideal. It's been a long time coming, the franchise is arguably at an all-time low and the actor himself is still trying to rebuild his public image after a very personal and controversial trial just two years ago. It's probably not the right time for Depp to return to the franchisebut without him, the series seems doomed. It's a lose-lose situation.

Ultimately, the problem Pirates of the CaribbeanThe sixth film is that there is no clear audience for the project. Everyone who grew up with Verbinski's films is now much older and probably wouldn't be too interested in a reboot, and younger audiences have no reason to care about the franchise because it's been seven years since the last entry. Disney must go back to square one with Pirates of the Caribbean 6 and find an interesting and original solution that doesn't rely on nostalgia or returning actors if they want this sequel/reboot to have any hope of commercial success.