With Pirates of the Caribbean 6 officially in development, it’s time to speculate who the actors joining the crew could be. Pirates of the Caribbean began in 2003 with the first film PotC: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The movie was inspired by Disney’s theme park attractions, also called Pirates of the Caribbean. When the first movie was released, it became an unexpected hit and spawned an entire franchise with five movies, all of which starred Johnny Depp in the leading role as the rambunctious pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow.
However, in recent years, due to the complex court cases and issues in which Depp was involved, Disney chose to remove Depp from any of their upcoming productions. Despite being found innocent, and winning his own legal case, it appears that Depp is sticking to his word to not return, and Disney is moving PotC forward without Captain Jack Sparrow. But that also leaves an opening for some new talented actors to join the PotC universe and tell new stories.
Florence Pugh began appearing in films in smaller UK-based productions in 2014. Since then, she has landed several roles that helped to increase her profile and even earned her awards, such as the British Independent Film Award for her leading role in Lady Macbeth in 2016. However, 2019 was the year that really launched her career when she appeared in Midsommar and Little Women, two very different projects, with equally spectacular performances from Pugh.
Now, Pugh is a part of several major franchises in very prominent positions, playing Yelena Belova, or the new Black Widow in the MCU, and Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two. Clearly, Pugh has a great deal of talent and is a highly sought-after actress who is comfortable stepping into action roles, as well as period dramas. This versatility and talent could make her an ideal addition to an upcoming PotC film.
Dwayne Johnson began his career as a professional wrestler and has recently returned to the ring alongside furthering his acting career. Johnson is an incredibly large and imposing figure, who is frequently cast as an action hero, or detective, as seen in franchises like Fast & Furious and his brief stint as Black Adam in the DCEU. This air of authority and his large stature could make him a perfect villain for PotC, or a Naval officer, like Norrington in the original films.
Johnson is another actor who has shown great versatility in his career, and the ability to perform as different characters. From his performance as The Rock in the WWE to playing Maui in Moana, and reprising the role for a live-action adaptation, Johnson is a capable and talented performer. His presence on the screen would be felt, so making him a primary antagonist could be a great way to include him in PotC 6.
Keanu Reeves is an action star who has managed to land leading roles in different action franchises since his career began in 1984. Along with performances in action, Reeves has also made a name for himself in comedy films, like Bill & Ted, and dramatic roles. His incredible versatility and his ability to play action and comedy to a high standard could make him the ideal replacement for a character similar to Captain Jack.
Captain Jack is boisterous and loud, and comes across as unwitting and incompetent, but he also always has a plan. Getting an actor to nail this requires a delicate balance and diverse talent. While Reeves is only a year younger than Depp, he continues to appear in high-intensity action movies like John Wick: Chapter 4 in 2023, where he plays the leading man. Reeves would be a great match for the series now that Captain Jack is no more.
One of the most hotly debated actors to join the cast in place of Depp has been Margot Robbie. Margot began acting in her native Australia, where she appeared in popular soap operas like Neighbours from 2008. However, after a few years on the show, she was able to secure roles in large productions based in the UK and America, like About Time and The Wolf of Wall Street, both released in 2013.
Since then, Robbie has become one of the most well-known celebrities in Hollywood, taking on leading roles as Harley Quinn in the Suicide Squad movies, and another DCEU project, and tackling new franchises like the live-action Barbie movie directed by Greta Gerwig. Robbie is comfortable in action, comedy, drama, and romance roles, which makes her a perfect fit for a series that crosses through all of these genres like PotC. Like Reeves, her character would likely be some sort of replacement for Captain Jack, as a high-spirited, and charming pirate captain.
Andy Serkis is an outstanding character actor who has appeared in dozens of the largest franchises of all time, including Star Wars, The Lord of The Rings, the MCU, and The Planet of the Apes movies. Serkis has done a lot of work with motion capture, for characters like Gollum, and Caeser, which could be highly useful for joining the PotC. He has also played a villain in many different movies as Ulysses Klaue, and Supreme Leader Snoke.
Serkis is one of the rare actors who completely transforms himself for a role: body, and mind. If he were to be cast in PotC, he could easily tackle a role as a dastardly villain, a CGI monster, or a rough-and-ready pirate. His ability to transform and become a new creature in his performances could point to his best use in the series being a role as some supernatural creature.
David Tennant is a classically trained actor who performs frequently in live stage performances along with his professional TV and film roles. While he had a long and busy career appearing on British TV and film between 1988 and 2005, his role as the Tenth Doctor on Doctor Who changed the trajectory of his career forever. Since finishing his tenure as the primary Doctor, he has tackled a large variety of roles in every genre. However, he has also shown an extraordinary talent for playing villains and unleashing a darker side of himself.
Tennant is now a household name, having appeared in programs like Good Omens, and Jessica Jones as Crowley and Kilgrave respectively. Tennant has displayed a talent for playing intelligent, quirky, and unique characters, often with a dark streak. Applying this to a role within the world of PotC, Tennant could be a great fit as a double-crossing pirate, similar to his brief role in the Harry Potter movies where he played the treacherous Barty Crouch Jr. His skillset would certainly see him slot into PotC 6 well, but the right role would need to appear to capitalize on his talents.
Joseph Quinn is one of the least experienced actors to appear on this list, but in the last two years, he has established himself as a talented actor capable of grabbing audience attention and creating endearing characters. While Joseph Quinn appeared in notable projects like Game of Thrones and the TV miniseries of Les Misérables, he did not become well known until he played Eddie Munson in season 4 of Stranger Things. Thanks to his outstanding, yet brief performance, Eddie became a fan favorite and a viral sensation.
Following his outing as Eddie Munson, Quinn has booked roles in The Fantastic Four, Gladiator 2, and A Quiet Place: Day One. His skills for playing a lovable goofball, and his charm could make him a perfect replacement for Johnny Depp as a younger Captain Jack if the series were to explore the origins of the great Captain of the Black Pearl before he became infamous among pirates. Quinn certainly has the looks, and the natural magnetic energy to fill such a role, and if given the opportunity, it would be brilliant to see Jack’s origin story.
Zoë Kravitz is the daughter of the famous musician, Lenny Kravitz, and actress Lisa Bonet. However, young Kravitz has proven her incredible talent in a variety of roles starting as far back as 2007. Kravitz had her first major role of note in 2011’s X-Men: First Class, where she played the mutant, Angel Salvadore. In the following years, she also appeared in the Divergent franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road, and most recently, The Batman. She is frequently cast as a love interest and a mysterious woman who is not afraid to fight back.
PotC 6 will likely feature a varied cast, and how closely they intend to stick to the formula of what made the original movies popular remains to be seen. The Curse of the Black Pearl focused on the dynamic between the wild and aloof pirate captain, Jack Sparrow, the ambitious and determined Will Turner, and the beautiful, free-spirited noblewoman, Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). If Pirates of the Caribbean 6 intends to continue this trend and maintain a similar dynamic, Kravitz could be the perfect young woman to be cast in the role that the talented Keira Knightley previously occupied.