‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Reboot Hits Stormy Waters as Writers Depart
Disney’s plans to revive the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise have run into troubled waters as Deadline reports that Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick have abandoned ship.
Disney insiders have informed Deadline that the writing duo, who were hired last October to write the sixth installment in the franchise, are no longer attached to the project. Though the last movie, Dead Men Tell No Tales, left the story open for a sequel, it is widely believed that Reese and Wernick were working on a complete reboot of the franchise, without Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow or any other existing characters.
So what happens now? Deadline‘s insiders are divided, with some saying Disney is already searching for new writers whilst others believe that the Black Pearl may be sunk for good. Interestingly, there have also been discussions about the franchise continuing on the small screen rather than in cinemas, with Deadline reporting that there have been “some spitball discussions about revamping the property for a Pirates of the Caribbean television series”. Such a series would likely find a home on Disney’s streaming service, Disney+, which is due to launch later this year. But even with the larger budget that Disney+ would bring, the costs and logistical challenges such a series would pose may prevent it from moving forward.
What is clear, is that all options remain on the table. So Pirates may yet sail again.
Chris is a lifelong fan of Disney, Star Wars and super heroes who can’t quite believe this golden age of movies and TV we’re living in. Having written blogs dedicated to Disney’s Aladdin musical and Star Wars Celebration, Chris is excited to be part of the MNN team.
