If you're a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, you're probably asking yourself, "What's the deal with Pirates of the Caribbean 6?" Unfortunately, you're not the only one.
Even without the ongoing writers' and actors' guild strikes, a sixth installment of Pirates of the Caribbean has always been stranded in some muddy waters.
Talk of whether Johnny Depp would be involved in another Pirates film is ongoing, and there never seems to be a real answer.
It's no secret that the previous Pirates of the Caribbean movie was disappointing, sailing under the radar before quickly being swept under the cultural rug. Needless to say, the fifth installment has been mostly forgotten.
Then, as if that wasn't enough, the sensational defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard took the world by storm, with the reputation of both actors swiftly fizzling out.
Even now, after winning the case, Johnny Depp's reputation has yet to fully return to what it once was. After being ousted by most of Hollywood, Depp has become understandably jaded.
Some of his most recent films, such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018), which took place before the trial, were both cultural flops, which hasn't helped the situation at all.
…Enter Margot Robbie.
Margot Robbie, one of Hollywood's golden girls, is known for being incredibly talented and conventionally stunning, which, as everyone knows, is a winning combination in the industry.
Fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will know that there have been talks of a Margot Robbie-led installment in the series. Although Robbie spoke of the film as if it had been canceled, saying, "I guess they don't want to do it," Jerry Bruckheimer, Pirates of the Caribbean producer, came forward saying that the film is still on.
With the ongoing writers' and actors' guild strikes, we're positive that things have stalled even further for the sixth installment. It's at this point that we begin asking ourselves, has the success of Barbie (2023) thrown yet another wrench into the plans?
Barbie was overwhelmingly successful, becoming the biggest opening ever for a film by a female director. Not only that, Barbie has gone on to become the highest-grossing film of the year!
It's also worth mentioning that these accolades have taken Margot Robbie's already successful career and boosted it even further, making her a household name not just for adults but all audiences. This means that younger audiences, who will undoubtedly watch a sixth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, will recognize her from the Barbie movie.
So, how does this pose a problem? Well, for Margot Robbie, it doesn't pose a problem at all! As for Johnny Depp, however…
Johnny Depp's reluctance to return to the franchise, his damaged reputation, and his open distaste for working with Disney are all factors that may lead to a Margot Robbie-led Pirates film without a single trace of Captain Jack Sparrow.
In short, Margot Robbie's larger-than-life success, coupled with Johnny Depp's fizzling career, just may push the actor out of a franchise he helped create.
That being said, Depp may welcome this change, seeing as his list of reservations toward working on a sixth installment grows longer every day.
