Disney is Saving $90 Million by Cutting out Johnny Depp From the Sixth Pirates of the Caribbean Film

No matter what has changed in the Pirates of The Caribbean universe, Johnny Depp has always remained a constant. So, when Disney announced the sixth film in the franchise without Jack Sparrow, it came as a shock to fans.

Turns out, the production house is not only distancing itself from Depp's personal troubles (allegations of domestic violence by his then-wife Amber Heard), but save a ton of money as well. According to Forbes, the actor would have earned $90 million if he starred as Jack Sparrow in the new film.

Disney is exploring a new track with Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick writing a series-resetting reboot. Disney’s chief of film production Sean Bailey recently confirmed that Depp won't be part of the new film. “We want to bring in a new energy and vitality. I love the movies, but part of the reason Paul and Rhett are so interesting is that we want to give it a kick in the pants,” he said.

This is a smart move on Disney’s part, as having a lower budget while rebooting a franchise which many associate with Depp himself might be a smart choice. There’s less of a risk in case audiences don’t flock to the sixteen-year-old franchise that will not feature any returning characters.

Dead Men Tell No Tales made $794 million at the worldwide box office, which is good for most movies, but not a Pirates movie. It’s the second lowest-grossing film in the series, after the original, and a steep drop from the billion-plus that Dead Man’s Chest and On Stranger Tides raked in.

So, re-centering the franchise on a new character not only saves money and potentially means a better domestic gross, but also is a smart way to reinvent the franchise.