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The future of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise remains shrouded in mystery, but producer Jerry Bruckheimer has confirmed that Academy Award-nominated actress Margot Robbie is “still involved” in ongoing development efforts.
Bruckheimer, who shepherded all five previous installments of the blockbuster series inspired by the Disneyland ride, recently spoke with The Wrap about the status of the long-awaited reboot. He explained that the franchise’s next direction depends entirely on getting the script right before any production can move forward.
“We’re working on a script. It’s always on the page; if we don’t have it on the page, it’s not gonna get on the screen,” Bruckheimer said. “We had two scripts at one point, and then one kinda dropped out, and then we kinda went on with the other one.”
When asked directly whether Robbie’s project was the one that had been shelved, Bruckheimer clarified, “Well, she’s still involved.” His comment suggests that while the trajectory of the Pirates films has shifted multiple times, Robbie remains attached to the franchise in some capacity.
The mention of Robbie ties back to the spin-off project announced in 2020, which was set to be penned by screenwriter Christina Hodson. At the same time, Disney was also developing a reboot written by Jeff Nathanson, who previously scripted Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017). Nathanson’s draft was expected to reimagine the franchise rather than continue its existing storyline.
Bruckheimer also confirmed that veteran Pirates writer Ted Elliott, who co-wrote the first four films alongside Terry Rossio — including The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) and At World’s End (2007) — has been involved with the current script under development. This return to familiar creative voices signals Disney’s intent to recapture the spirit of the early films, which propelled Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow into pop culture immortality.
While Bruckheimer has previously said that a new film will act as a reboot rather than a direct sequel, he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Depp returning. In August, he admitted that he believed Depp would reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow if the script was strong enough, though he has also noted that the studio’s focus remains on reimagining the property for a new generation.
Despite the uncertainty, one thing is clear: the winds have not fully shifted away from Margot Robbie’s involvement. Whether as the centerpiece of her own spin-off or as part of the broader reboot, she is still part of Disney’s Pirates plans. For now, fans must wait to see which version of the story ultimately sets sail.
