Austin Butler, Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean

Austin Butler attends a photocall for ‘The Bikeriders’ on June 15, 2024 in Rome, Italy. Johnny Depp stars as Captain Jack Sparrow in 2003’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’.Ernesto Ruscio / Getty Images / Walt Disney / Courtesy Everett Collection

From the open road to the high seas, Austin Butler is eyeing his next starring role.

The Academy Award nominee was recently asked about rumors of his casting in an upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean reboot as he promoted his new film The Bikeriders with co-star Jodie Comer.
“Oh really, I haven’t heard about that. I loved Pirates of the Caribbean,” he told ET.

“That just reminded me of when I was a kid,” added Butler. “In elementary school, we had to make these posters that had like your favorite music, your favorite actors.”

He continued, “And at that time – I don’t know what grade, it must have been fourth grade, third grade or something – but it was — Pirates of the Caribbean was on there.”

Disney

Comer replied, “That’s huge.”

Despite his fandom for the franchise, Butler is hesitant to touch it. “It’s a hard one to touch because they did it so well. I loved what Johnny [Depp] did with that,” he explained.

Based on the Disney ride, Depp starred as Captain Jack Sparrow in the first five films of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Dead Man’s Chest (2006), At World’s End (2007), On Stranger Tides (2011) and Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017).

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer said last month that “two new movies” are in development, including his own reboot and Margot Robbie’s female-led spinoff.

'The Bikeriders' trailer Austin Butler

>Austin Butler stars in ‘The Bikeriders’. 20th Century Studios

“We hope to get ’em both made, and I think Disney agrees they really want to make the Margot one, too,” he told Entertainment Weekly.

As for whether Depp reprise his role, Bruckheimer noted that the new installment would call for new characters, but he’s open to including the OG star.

“It’s a reboot, but if it was up to me, he would be in it,” he explained. “I love him. He’s a good friend. He’s an amazing artist and he’s a unique look. He created Captain Jack.”

The Bikeriders premieres June 21 in theaters.