Pirates of the Caribbean actor Geoffrey Rush has said he’s keen to make a return to Disney’s swashbuckling franchise, if only to “annoy Jack Sparrow” one last time.
Rush is one of just three actors to appear in all five Pirates of the Caribbean movies, alongside Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow and Kevin McNally’s loyal first mate Gibbs. And while we don’t know yet which characters are set to return for Disney’s long-awaited sixth blockbuster, all signs point to several classic characters being brought back.
Of course, Rush’s character Hector Barbossa died in the finale of 2016’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the franchise’s final film to date. But even this would not necessarily stop him from returning, Rush believes.
“There’s been a big enough break,” Rush told Entertainment Weekly, discussing his desire to return. “I said, you know, I sacrificed myself for my daughter, I don’t want it to be too easy and too cheesy that I come back and go: ‘give me another payday.’ I respect the scale of the opera that’s almost been created in that 20 year period.
“I liken it to… Shakespeare,” Rush continued, “and Hamlet’s father coming back as a ghost. I thought, that would take good writing but just to come back and annoy Jack Sparrow for one more go. I’d even say, get the fans to write in what they’d like to see happen.”
Back in August, Pirates of the Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer said he was now talking with Depp about his own potential return to the franchise, despite previous comments by the actor that made such a return seem extremely unlikely, as Disney mulled other, alternative routes forward for the franchise. Depp’s past legal issues with ex-wife Amber Heard saw Disney largely distance itself from the star, leading to some choice words from Depp in response.
Long-gestating plans have placed Barbie star Margot Robbie at the forefront of Pirates 6 if and when it does ever materialize. That said, Bruckheimer has previously confirmed his intent that “some” previous Pirates of the Caribbean actors would return for the next movie, while also offering “a new take” on the franchise overall. Depp, meanwhile, appears to have retained a strong affection for his role as Jack Sparrow, which is widely seen as his most popular character among his fans. Fellow Pirates star Orlando Bloom has strongly hinted he wants to see Depp back, as well. Could Rush also follow? Get writing those letters.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
