Dwayne Johnson May Take Over for Johnny Depp in Upcoming ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Movie

The Walt Disney Company has broken the news that Johnny Depp will no longer play the lead part in their billion-dollar Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and rumors about Dwayne Johnson‘s potential version are already swirling.

After accusations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife Amber Heard, the beloved actor Johnny Depp was cast out of Hollywood and deprived of his iconic roles as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean and Gellert Grindelwald in Warner Bros.’ Fantastic Beasts spinoff based on JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

Following an extensive series of trials in Fairfax County, Virginia and a subsequent libel case loss encountered by Johnny Depp at the London High Court – where Justice Andrew Nicol declared the domestic abuse claims against him to be “substantially true” by The Sun‘s executive editor Dan Wootton – last year, his former wife Amber Heard ultimately lost her defamation lawsuit. In essence, it was largely victorious for Depp.

After six weeks of deliberation, the jury ruled that Heard had defamed Depp in her Washington Post Op-Ed from 2018. The trial saw an array of revelations come to light concerning both Depp’s part as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and Heard’s role as Mera in Aquaman (2018) and its impending sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023). Though it was also found out that Depp had libeled his former wife, his punishment for such defamation amounted to much less than what she received.

In spite of reports that Johnny Depp and Margot Robbie have agreed to a $301 million deal for their return, it appears they are both still out of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Moreover, plans for an Academy Award-nominated actress to lead a female-led spinoff appear to be coming apart at the seams.

As a result, rumors suggest that Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean may have secured Hollywood sensation Dwayne Johnson as their new lead actor.

Johnson has been a widely-known figure since his debut in WWE, and then after starring roles in The Mummy Returns (2001) and The Scorpion King (2002), he experienced an immense breakthrough when Fast Five released in 2011 as the fifth installment of the iconic Fast & Furious franchise. With his gripping portrayal of Luke Hobbs, Johnson skyrocketed to stardom. His subsequent roles in prominent films such as San Andreas (2015), Moana (2016), The Fate of the Furious (2017), Baywatch (2017) and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) only further cemented his place in Hollywood. Fast-forwarding a few years, he’s now set for leading roles in both Jungle Cruise with Emily Blunt, and Red Notice by 2021!

Last year, Johnson’s much-awaited performance as Black Adam in DC Extended Universe’s Black Adam (2022) was met with lukewarm response from viewers. While Warner Bros. had pinned its hopes on this movie to salvage the struggling franchise, it unfortunately flopped at the box office (despite having Cavill onboard). As such, it remains uncertain what lies ahead for his character going forward.

Dwayne Johnson’s Pirates of the Caribbean

Recently, actor Luke Hobbs has been speculated to be the replacement for Johnny Depp in the renowned Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. There is not much proof to back this up; however, based on Johnson’s contractual demands and requests, it seems like we may have already uncovered what direction this spinoff will take.

As movie star Tom Cruise reportedly bans his likeness from being used in any form (Marvel discovered this the hard way), Johnson has a clause that will ensure he is always portrayed favorably during fight scenes. Fandom Wire divulged that “one common aspect of [Johnson’s] movie contracts is his inability to lose fights, and he should always stand tall at the end.” The Wall Street Journal also reported on Johnson’s request – according to Fandom Wire, it reads:

“According to producers and crew members on the films, Mr. Statham, 51 years old, negotiated an agreement with the studio that limits how badly he can be beaten up on the screen. Mr. Johnson, 47, enlists producers, editors, and fight coordinators to help make sure he always gives as good as he gets.”

If the new Pirates of the Caribbean reboot starts off with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson leading producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s franchise, then it is safe to assume that any conflicts he has will result in his ultimate triumph. Though this could reduce the stakes of a potential movie, fans are likely not going to be too concerned about it.

Dwayne Johnson has solidified his presence in the action-adventure arena, and if he were to replace Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, fans would happily flaunt their support for him. His star power is undeniable; even those who are not fond of superhero movies will find themselves at the box office without a second thought!