Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is in theaters now, with Johnny Depp returning to one of his most-beloved roles, Captain Jack Sparrow. The critics have destroyed the film, saying it is a franchise that has become stagnant, boring, and dull. They cite that you can see it in Johnny Depp’s lazy performance of the hero. Does this mean that the franchise could move on without the titular hero?
Audiences are not faltering in the wake of the film’s bad reviews, as Pirates is aiming for a $285 million opening weekend . Pirates of the Caribbean is a mainstay, and the box office numbers show that the film still has life. With so many franchises choosing to reboot themselves, will Pirates fall to the same devices? Series producer Jerry Bruckheimer says no. In a recent interview with Digital Spy, he says that Johnny Depp and Captain Jack Sparrow are here to stay:
“I just don’t see it [working on Pirates without Depp]. The secret to any successful franchise is picking talented people, and Johnny is absolutely key to the success of Pirates. He’s such a unique character, such an endearing character, and such an irreverent character all in one.
He hasn’t changed at all! That’s what’s so great about him, he’s still the same guy he was in the first one, and he’s still out to get what’s good for him. Johnny himself hasn’t changed either. We’ve worked together on six movies now and he’s just an amazing individual.”
There is talk that the franchise might spin-off a series of films featuring a young Sparrow, and a possible television franchise as well. Bruckheimer says that isn’t the case here:
“It’s always about the character, it’s never about the visual effects. Pirates has become a family now. We’ve got talented people in every position, people who have worked on them since the beginning. I think that’s one of the reasons the franchise keeps on working.”
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is open worldwide now.
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