Orlando Bloom has expressed his interest in seeing a complete Pirates of the Caribbean reunion, including Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley. Speaking at the 2025 Fan Expo Chicago, Bloom, who portrayed Will Turner in multiple installments of the Disney franchise, shared his hopes for the future of the series.
Bloom emphasized that much depends on the script, indicating that a strong screenplay could reunite the original cast. He said,
“Everything is in the writing, right? Everything is on the page, and I think there’s definitely, I’m sure there’s a way to create something,”
and added,
“I would personally love to see everybody back. I think the way to win on that one is to get everybody back. If they can, and if everybody wanted to go back.”
He further noted,
“My thing is, if the script was great and – ideally it was everybody – it’d be kind of like in for a penny, in for a pound, you know.”
Speculation on the Franchise’s Direction
Currently, Disney is rebooting the Pirates of the Caribbean series, and Bloom shared his thoughts on how the new films might approach the story. He mentioned the possibility of introducing a female lead with similarities to Jack Sparrow but acknowledged that the direction is still uncertain. Regarding his own participation, he said,
“What they’re thinking…is how to do it. Do you bring in a female leading character that replicates Jack in some way? I don’t know. The jury is out on how to do it again, but if [the script] was great [I’d be in].”
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s Openness to Depp’s Return
Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of the Pirates series, recently expressed support for Johnny Depp reprising his iconic role as Jack Sparrow in the reboot. Bruckheimer explained that Depp’s involvement depends on the quality of the script, stating,
“If (Depp) likes the way the part’s written, I think he would do it,”
and added,
“It’s all about what’s on the page, as we all know. It’s a reboot, but if it was up to me, he would be in it, I love him.”
The reboot plans reportedly involve blending new cast members with returning characters from the original films, aiming to maintain continuity while refreshing the story.
Context of Depp’s Recent Career and Legal Battles
Following public legal disputes, Depp’s Hollywood career has faced notable challenges. After his highly publicized defamation case against Amber Heard, in which the jury ruled in Depp’s favor, he has not appeared in major studio projects. Depp won $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, as the jury found Heard’s claims false and malicious.
Progress on the New Film’s Screenplay
Regarding the status of the reboot, Bruckheimer confirmed that work continues on the screenplay. He said,
“We are still working on a screenplay. We want to make it. We just got to get the right screenplay. We haven’t quite gotten there yet, but we’re close.”
This suggests the project remains in development, with key decisions still pending before production can begin.
What the Future Holds for the Pirates Franchise
The excitement around a potential Johnny Depp Pirates reunion has sparked interest among fans of the original films, especially with Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley’s possible return. The combination of familiar characters with new storytelling directions could revitalize the longstanding franchise. How Disney navigates the reboot’s writing and casting will be crucial in determining whether these hopes can be fulfilled, making the next steps in development a closely watched process for audiences and insiders alike.
