Disney bosses appear to have sunk plans for Johnny Depp to appear in a sixth Pirates Of The Caribbean film.
Producers had hoped to give his character Captain Jack Sparrow a cameo role in a new adventure featuring a mainly female cast, led by Australian actress Margot Robbie.
But fans are unlikely see Captain Jack sailing off into the sunset after Depp’s private life was laid bare during his libel case at the High Court in London.
A Hollywood source revealed: “They were working on storylines to bid him a fitting farewell from the franchise.”
Disney executives are reportedly “dismayed” over drugs and domestic abuse allegations that have made headlines worldwide during Depp’s case against a UK newspaper that branded him a “wife beater.”
Fans are unlikely see Depp reprise his role as Captain Jack after his private life was laid bare during his libel case at the High Court in London
The family-friendly studio fears a second defamation trial, due to be heard in America in six months, could further tarnish his image.
Depp, 57, will again face ex-wife Amber Heard, 34, at the hearing, scheduled for January in Virginia, over a Washington Post guest column in which 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 nor Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer have publicly commented on Depp’s legal battles.
Johnny Depp arrives at the High Court in London (Image: PA)
But a studio insider said: “They both realise that, whether Johnny wins his cases 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.”
Disney executives reportedly made their decision to drop Captain Jack just four days into the UK trial, which continues tomorrow.
LA crisis management expert Howard Bragman said that even if Depp wins the case, “his aggressive legal actions could backfire in the public sphere”.
Depp, 57, will again face ex-wife Amber Heard, 34, at a hearing, scheduled for January in Virginia (Image: PA)
Media analyst Mike Raia added: “It would have been nice to see Captain Jack get a bigscreen 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.”
British screenwriter Christina Hodson has been hired to start work on the as-yet untitled sixth film in the Pirates franchise, which has so far grossed more than £3.5billion.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
