The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is the quintessential action-adventure series. With swashbuckling action that mixes the historical with the fantastical, it’s been consistently enjoyed since its inception. However, if the franchise is to continue, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will need to be a reboot.
The franchise started with The Curse of the Black Pearl, introducing the likes of Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow and Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner. Over the course of five films, it follow Sparrow’s exploits around the world as he encounters various mythical and fantastical entities and phenomena. However, it would seem that Sparrow’s story may need to end – or at least start over again.
If the franchise is to continue, it cannot simply pick up when Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales left off. The nature of the franchise’s ongoing story makes this all but impossible, and attempting to continue the narrative would be a big mistake. For the franchise to survive, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will need to be a reboot.
The Franchise Has Escalated Things Too Far – It Needs Resetting If It’s To Continue
Over the course of five movies, the franchise has introduced many ideas. The idea of curses that render their victims immortal, a sort of pirate afterlife involving Davy Jones and the Flying Dutchman, the Fountain of Youth, and ancient nautical gods have all so far been on the agenda. The films have also included the Kraken, mermaids, and ghost pirates.
The truth is, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has nowhere to go with further stories. The world has become so large and fantastical that nothing should surprise its characters anymore. The ever-escalating nature of its stories has been something of a problem for the franchise, too: later entries have been nowhere near as well-received as the original film. The further removed from reality the films become, the more they seem to suffer. It seems that a return to the (slightly) more grounded historical roots of the franchise could be the best way forward.
Recasting Johnny Depp Won’t Work, So Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Needs A Reboot
Perhaps the biggest issue facing the franchise’s next movie revolves around Pirates of the Caribbean‘s protagonist. Johnny Depp’s personal life has seen his career take a back seat for a period of time, which in turn prompted a large delay in Pirates of the Caribbean 6. Though he could feasibly return as Sparrow, the actor is perhaps getting a little old for such an acting-heavy leading role. The simplest solution of course would be to recast the role, but doing so comes with its own issues.
Replacing Depp as Sparrow is practically unthinkable. Not only would there be backlash from fans, but Depp is truly iconic in the role, and another actor would undoubtedly be subject to unfavorable comparisons. However, a full reboot would fix all these Pirates of the Caribbean issues.
Starting the story again from scratch with new characters and new actors would probably be the most reasonable course of action. Bringing in a big-name star like Margot Robbie (as is rumored) would be a masterstroke – she’s a perfect fit for the light-hearted, high-energy spirit of the franchise, and she’s popular enough that there would be nothing but excitement for the next installment. Bringing new life to the franchise certainly seems to be the best way forward, and would subvert the many obstacles to creating another sequel in the existing franchise.