Disney is reportedly planning to reboot Pirates of the Caribbean

When it comes to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Disney isn't ready to abandon ship just yet.

A reboot of Pirates of the Caribbean is now being discussed, and Disney is considering bringing on Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick to write the script, Deadline reported Tuesday. No other details have been reported just yet, and it's unclear if Johnny Depp would return as Captain Jack Sparrow, the character he has played in all five previous films. In recent years, Depp has become a controversial figure for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that his ex-wife, Amber Heard, has accused him of domestic violence. He denies the allegation.

It's been just one year since the most recent installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, hit theaters. But it does make sense that Disney would try to do something different after that movie, which was by far the lowest-grossing entry in the entire series domestically. Dead Men Tell No Tales brought in $172 million in the United States, down from the $241 million earned by the previous installment. Worldwide, it grossed about $250 million less than its predecessor.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Still, it did take in nearly $800 million overall, making it far from a bomb and a lot more successful than some of Disney's other recent live-action efforts like A Wrinkle in Time and Tomorrowland. Since Pirates is such a valued brand for Disney, it wouldn't be surprising to see this reboot set sail, with or without Johnny Depp, sooner rather than later.