Nine years have passed since Johnny Depp last appeared as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017), and fans have been wondering ever since whether he'd ever put that iconic hat back on. Disney hasn't confirmed that return — but in the meantime, Depp is officially reuniting with a very familiar face from his Pirates past.

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Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz Are Together Again

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Depp and Penélope Cruz, who shared the screen in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), are reuniting for an upcoming Lionsgate thriller called Day Drinker (2027), scheduled to arrive in theaters on March 26, 2027. Lionsgate has already released the first teaser trailer, putting Depp back at the center of a major Hollywood production.

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The film follows a bartender working aboard a private yacht — played by Madelyn Cline — who encounters a mysterious passenger played by Depp. Their meeting eventually pulls them into the orbit of a criminal figure portrayed by Cruz, though the full nature of their connection remains intentionally unclear. Depp looks dramatically different from Captain Jack Sparrow in the footage: gray hair, a beard, and a much darker overall appearance suggest his character is carrying plenty of secrets.

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The project comes from director Marc Webb, with a screenplay by Zach Dean. The cast also includes Manu Ríos, Arón Piper, Juan Diego Botto, and Anika Boyle.

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Depp and Cruz Have a Long History Together

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For longtime fans, this reunion carries some real weight — and it's actually their fourth time working together. Depp and Cruz first appeared on screen together in Blow (2001), with Depp portraying George Jung and Cruz playing Mirtha Jung. Ten years later, Cruz joined the Pirates franchise alongside Depp in On Stranger Tides (2011), where she played Angelica, a woman with a complicated history with Captain Jack Sparrow. The two later crossed paths again in Murder on the Orient Express (2017), making Day Drinker their fourth collaboration.

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Their latest project also arrives at a particularly interesting moment in Depp's career. After years away from major Hollywood studio productions, he's been stepping back into larger roles. In addition to Day Drinker, Depp is set to star as Ebenezer Scrooge in Ebenezer (2026). Naturally, that renewed momentum has brought even more attention back to the question of Captain Jack Sparrow.

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Could Johnny Depp Still Return as Captain Jack Sparrow?

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Here's where it's important to separate what has actually been confirmed from what fans are hoping to see. Johnny Depp has not been officially confirmed to return as Captain Jack Sparrow.

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That said, there has been a meaningful development. In August 2026, longtime Pirates of the Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer publicly confirmed that discussions with Depp were underway while work continued on a new screenplay.

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