Actor Johnny Depp will no longer be a part of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise, which is set for a reboot, reported Daily Mail.
Daily Mail TV spoke to Stuart Beattie, who had scripted the first film in the series, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003). Beattie nodded at the suggestion that Depp would not be a part of the reboot, said the publication. “I think he’s had a great run,” Beattie told Daily Mail. “Obviously, he’s made that character his own and it’s become the character he’s most famous for now.”
On Wednesday, it was reported that Disney was planning a reboot of the Pirates films with writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, known for their work in the Deadpool films.
Depp had played the eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow in the five films of the franchise that have been released between 2003 and 2017. The series, which also starred Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, has grossed more than $4.5 billion worldwide.
Beattie said Jack Sparrow will go on to define’s Depp’s legacy and be the character he is most remembered for, one that propelled him to stardom.
The news of Depp’s break with the franchise comes amid several controversies surrounding the actor, including legal and financial troubles.
In July, Depp was sued for allegedly punching a crew member on the set of City of Lies. Greg Brooks, who worked as the location manager on the film, alleged that the incident took place on April 13, 2017, when the film based on the murders of rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. was being shot at a Los Angeles hotel. A month before its release, the film was held. No new release date has been announced. The actor’s personal life has also been under scrutiny after his ex-wife Amber Heard accused him of domestic violence.
Depp, who made his debut as an actor in 1984 with Glen Lantz’s A Nightmare on Elm Street will next be seen in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in 2019.