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Plans for Johnny Depp to once again feature in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise appear to have been sunk by Disney Bosses.
Producers had been holding out hope that the actor may be able to reprise his role of the beloved Captain Jack Sparrow, in the sixth movie in the franchise.
Unlike prior Pirates movies, the next instalment will feature a mainly female cast, being led by Australian actress Margot Robbie.
Plans have changed though, and following Depp’s private life being laid bare during his libel case at the High Court in London, it seems the family focused brand no longer intend to associate themselves with the actor.
A Hollywood source recently spoke on the topic, saying: “They were working on storylines to bid him a fitting farewell from the franchise.”
Depp’s supposed drug use and domestic abuse allegations have apparently left Disney executives “dismayed”, as well as making headlines around the world as Depp’s case against British news paper The Sun, who featured a headline branding the star as a “wife beater.”
Disney fear that between the current case, and a second defamation trial due to be heard in America in six months, could further tarnish Depp’s reputation, and his box office draw.
Depp will once again face his ex-wife, Amber Heard, at the hearing, scheduled to take place in Virginia in January, over a Washington Post article.
Heard penned a guest column for the paper, where she wrote: “I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and i felt the full force of our culture’s wrath for women who speak out.”
Neither Disney officials, or Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer have yet commented on Depp’s legal struggled, but a studio insider has revealed: “They both realise that, whether Johnny wins his case or not, he is likely to be viewed as box-office poison in these sensitive times. But Jerry was hoping there might be a way to get him on board for a small scene.”
Media analyst Mike Raia spoke the mind of many fans, saying: “It would have been nice to see Captain Jack get a big screen send-off. But, in today’s climate, it would probably be commercial suicide to put him in a major movie that will have an almost entirely female cast.”
The as yet untitled “reboot” will be written by Christina Hodson, continuing to build on the franchise that has already grossed over £3.5billion.