Pirates of the Caribbean continuing without Captain Jack Sparrow may seem like an impossible task, but the franchise has already proven how this change is possible. Johnny Depp first played Jack in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl. Jack became an immensely popular character following Curse of the Black Pearl's critical and commercial success and was responsible for many of the movie's most humorous, entertaining, and memorable moments.

Depp reprised the role in the four Pirates of the Caribbean sequels that followed, all of which placed Jack at the center of their respective stories. Since the last sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, was released in 2017, there has been uncertainty about whether Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will ever happen, and if the franchise will be able to continue if Depp does not return. As integral as Jack's character has been to the franchise's success, there is a way forward without him.

Jack Sparrow Is The Face Of The Franchise (But Was Never Its Only Main Character)

Elizabeth Swann & Will Turner Were Also Main Characters

In the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Jack is one of only three main characters, with the other two being Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom). In Curse of the Black Pearl, Elizabeth and Will's relationship is the heart of the story, while Jack provides a great deal of the movie's comedy and swashbuckling adventure. Elizabeth and Will have the most character development in the first installment, including Will embracing his pirate heritage and making the decision to save Jack's life during Curse of the Black Pearl's ending.

What made the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies work so well was the balance of the Elizabeth, Will, and Jack trio. This is one of the reasons why the fourth and fifth movies, On Stranger Tides and Dead Men Tell No Tales, were not as satisfying. Elizabeth and Will were entirely absent from On Stranger Tides and only had cameos in Dead Men Tell No Tales. When Pirates of the Caribbean was at its best, it was not just Jack's story, but also Elizabeth and Will's story, as they took on formidable forces ranging from Davy Jones to Lord Cutler Beckett and the British East India Trading Company.

Jack Sparrow Always Worked Better As A Wild Card Than As The Protagonist

His Unpredictable Nature Elevated The Story

Part of the reason Jack became so popular was because of how chaotically unpredictable he was in Curse of the Black Pearl. The movie created a clear expectation of Elizabeth and Will making noble and heroic decisions. There was no such expectation for Jack, as he continually pivoted on who he was aligned with and kept everyone guessing about what he would do in the end. He worked best as a wild card, willing to make deals with the heroes and villains to get what he wanted, even when it meant betraying those who trusted him.

Whatever the answer is, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 can find it without Jack as the protagonist.

Jack immediately became less interesting during On Stranger Tides and Dead Men Tell No Tales when he became the protagonist. He was more predictable in this role and lost much of the spontaneity that made him an iconic character. It was during the fourth and fifth movies that the franchise's quality began to decline. These stories prove that having Jack as the protagonist is not the answer. Whatever the answer is, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 can find it without Jack as the protagonist.

What Has Been Said About Johnny Depp’s Return To The Pirates Of Caribbean Franchise

It Has Been A Controversial Topic

Pirates of the Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer addressed Depp's potential return by sharing "If it was up to me, of course. I love having Depp... He's a great actor and good friend... I've certainly spoken to him, but we'll see what happens." This confirms that Depp is still involved in conversations about returning to the franchise, and, most importantly, has had these conversations with Bruckheimer, who produced all the previous movies and will be involved with the next one as well. Prior to Bruckheimer's update, Depp was adamant about having no desire to return to the Disney series.

During the legal case involving Depp and his ex-wife, Amber Heard, he said he would high chances of Depp returning as part of a reboot, although it is important to note that this comment about Depp coming back was purely speculative.

Pirates Of The Caribbean Shouldn’t Try To Replace Jack Sparrow (Even if He Doesn’t Return)

The New Characters Don't Need To Be The Next Jack Sparrows

Regardless of whether Depp returns to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Disney should not attempt to replace his character. Jack is a unique character brought to life by Depp's distinct performance. Any attempt to replace Jack with another character would feel hollow and would not live up to the beloved reputation surrounding Jack since he was first introduced aboard a quickly sinking ship early on in Curse of the Black Pearl. No other character can create the same level of chaos, humor, and daring that made Jack a lovable wild card in the first place.

Johnny Depp received an Academy Award nomination for playing Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Instead of trying to create the next Jack Sparrow, the franchise should focus on introducing new pirate main characters who are noticeably different from Jack. As the series' name suggests, the story is ultimately about the many pirates who occupy the Caribbean and is not just about the pirate named Jack Sparrow. The first three movies already proved how successful a story can be when led by a trio of main characters instead of only Jack being at the forefront of the narrative. A new trio could come to the forefront in Pirates of the Caribbean 6.

The new characters could still have connections to Jack, Elizabeth, Will, and other established Pirates of the Caribbean characters, including Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites), and Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario). Some of these familiar faces could even appear in the franchise's next installment. The new leading Pirates of the Caribbean characters should have their own stories and expand the scope of who pirates are and what they are capable of as they search for mystical treasures and chart a new course for the series.