Pirates of the Caribbean 6: Disney CONFIRM Johnny Depp DROPPED as Jack Sparrow: Here's why

Back in October the screenwriter of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl – the first film in the franchise – claimed Depp had been dropped as Jack Sparrow. According to Daily Mail TV, Stuart Beattie nodded when it was suggested that Depp was out. He said: “I think he’s had a great run. Obviously, he’s made that character his own and it’s become the character he’s most famous for now.”

Now Disney’s live-action production chief has confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter.

The outlet asked: “You’ve hired Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick to work on a possible Pirates of the Caribbean reboot. Can Pirates survive without Johnny Depp?

Sean Bailey replied: “We want to bring in a new energy and vitality.

“I love the [Pirates] movies, but part of the reason Paul and Rhett are so interesting is that we want to give it a kick in the pants. And that’s what I’ve tasked them with.”

So just who could play Redd and lead the franchise going forward?

According to Paddy Power, the most likely actresses are Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence at 20-1.

While Star Wars’ Daisy Ridley has also been suggested by fans.

However, our personal choice is redhead Karen Gillan, whose Amy Pond briefly dressed as a pirate in Doctor Who episode The Curse of the Black Spot.