Producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed on April 26, 2026, that Disney is actively developing a sixth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise despite a lengthy hiatus since the last film in 2017. The production team is currently refining multiple screenplays to revitalize the billion-dollar film series.
The project faces several development hurdles, including the absence of a finalized script, production timeline, or confirmed cast. While the franchise has been stalled for nearly a decade, Bruckheimer noted that Disney remains committed to the series, which saw three of its first four entries surpass $1 billion at the global box office.
Bruckheimer addressed the potential involvement of long-time star Johnny Depp and the status of the current writing process during recent discussions with Collider.
“Jeff Nathanson (screenwriter of the last entry in 2017, Dead Men Tell No Tales) is working on a script. We have another one… We have two, and we don’t know who’s going to win the horse race at this point. But hopefully in the next month, I’ll have a script, and maybe Disney will want to make it,” said Bruckheimer, Producer.
The producer further clarified that while a reboot is being considered to introduce fresh narratives to the series, the return of Captain Jack Sparrow remains a possibility dependent on the quality of the material.
“If he likes the way the part’s written, I think he would do it,” noted Bruckheimer, Producer.
The producer emphasized that the creative team is focused on ensuring the story meets specific standards before moving into production.
“It’s all about what’s on the page, as we all know… We are still working on a screenplay. We want to make it,” stated Bruckheimer, Producer.
Bruckheimer also touched upon casting rumors regarding Margot Robbie and the potential narrative direction for the upcoming film.
“They’re close on part of it,” affirmed Bruckheimer, Producer.
Additionally, the producer confirmed to The Wrap that the Australian actress remains a key figure in the franchise’s future plans.
“She’s still involved,” told Bruckheimer, Producer.
Other creative contributors have also been linked to the project, including Craig Mazin, who collaborated with original series co-writer Ted Elliott on a separate script before industry strikes caused delays.
“We came up with this really cool story,” said Mazin, Writer.
Despite the creative momentum, Mazin indicated that the current status of that specific draft remains uncertain following the production interruptions of 2023.
“I actually don’t know what’s going on with that,” confessed Mazin, Writer.
The most recent entry, Dead Men Tell No Tales, earned $794 million globally and concluded with a post-credits sequence hinting at the return of characters played by Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. All five existing films are currently available for streaming on Disney+.
