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Johnny Depp Offers Jack Sparrow a Better Goodbye, Subject to the Map
· New York time
Johnny Depp says he is open to returning as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean universe and working again with producer Jerry Bruckheimer. In a new interview, he said he would consider a return if the handling of the franchise were where it needed to be, with the aim of sending it off on a better note. That is an expression of interest, not an announced film or a confirmed production schedule. The distinction matters in a franchise where a familiar character can generate a great deal of discussion long before anyone has agreed on a story. Depp's condition leaves the practical questions for any future decision about how the series might proceed. The appeal of a better farewell is easy to understand. Long-running franchises rarely leave an ending alone if there is a chance to improve it, revisit it or sell tickets to it. A final voyage can become an entire genre of voyage, particularly when the captain remains recognizable to audiences around the world. For the people who make the decisions, a returning star would be a familiar part of the pitch. For viewers, the question would be whether another adventure delivers the ending its star has in mind. At present the ship is still a possibility, not a scheduled departure. Hollywood can nevertheless begin practicing its favorite navigation technique: treating an open door as a very promising horizon.
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