Edward Scissorhands star, Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has been offered $301 million (Rs 2355 crore) in a deal by Disney to return as Captain Jack Sparrow in the hit Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and a Disney Plus series. According to the reports of an industry insider, the $301 million deal is being prepared as a formal apology as well as a request for the actor to return as Jack Sparrow.
The industry insider also reported that a source close to Disney claimed that the company is inking a deal to patch up its relationship with Depp. “Disney is very interested in patching up their relationship with Johnny Depp. They reached out to the actor prior to his defamation trial against Amber Heard and asked whether he would be interested in returning for another pirate film or two (sic),” the source revealed.
The source also added “I know corporate sent him a gift basket with a very heartfelt letter, but I’m unsure how it was received. But what I can tell you is that the studio has already penned up a draft for a film about Jack Sparrow — so they are very hopeful that Johnny will forgive them and return as his iconic character (sic).”
Disney is reportedly willing to go all the way and offer $301 million to the actor, higher than the amount Amber Heard’s lawyer claimed Depp would refuse. Heard’s attorney, Bredehoft, quipped during the defamation trial, “Is Disney aware that Mr. Depp has testified under oath that he would not take another Pirates of the Caribbean franchise role for $300 million and a million alpacas (sic)?”
The deal prepared by Disney will reportedly also include a sizable donation to a charity of Depp’s choice. The deal is to rope Johnny in to reprise his coveted role as the quirky captain of the Black Pearl, Jack Sparrow, in Pirates of the Caribbean 6 and Disney Plus spin-off series about the early life of the Captain.
The actor recently won a defamation trial against his ex-wife Hollywood actress Amber Heard. He had sued Heard for $50 million for defamation. In an op-ed written by the actress, which was published in the Washington Post in 2018, she had accused the actor of being a ‘wife-beater’ and had called herself a domestic abuse survivor. The op-ed affected Depp’s career and the fiercest blow came when Pirates of the Caribbean and the Fantastic Beasts series refused to sign him. Since his win, fans have been asking Disney to apologise to the actor.