Johnny Depp is OUT as Jack Sparrow

Superstar Johnny Depp has been dropped from the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise as Disney Studios plans a major reboot, DailyMailTV can reveal.

Depp was the major lead in five Pirates movies over the past 15 years – but it appears Captain Jack Sparrow has made his final voyage on the Black Pearl.

Original Pirates script writer Stuart Beattie is the first to publicly confirm that Disney Studios appears to be ditching the star as they rework the entire franchise.

Depp, 55, who has been dogged by personal dramas over the past four years, saw his last outing as Sparrow in Dead Men Tell No Tales, which became the lowest performing movie of the films.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMailTV at a red carpet event in Hollywood, Beattie confirmed on camera the reboot means Depp is out as Sparrow.

Nodding when it was suggested Depp was out, he said: ‘I think he’s had a great run. Obviously, he’s made that character his own and it’s become the character he’s most famous for now.

‘And kids all over the world love him as that character so I think it’s been great for him, it’s been great for us, so I’m just very, very happy about it.’

Beattie feels no matter what Depp does next in his career, his Hollywood career high point will be defined by Sparrow and amassing more than $4 billion from the movies.

The star, known for cult hits like Edward Scissorhands, was not expected to be a success with the release of The Curse of the Black Pearl in 2003.

Beattie added: ‘I think Jack Sparrow will be his legacy. It’s the only character he’s played five times, it’s the character he dresses up in to visit children in hospitals, it’s what he’ll be remembered for.

‘Before Jack Sparrow came along, [Depp] was considered this kind of quirky, independent actor that made these really cool little Tim Burton films, but he was by no means a movie star and a lot of people thought we were crazy for casting him at the time.

‘Because he wasn’t a proven commodity; you know, a big movie star. And we were making a big movie and we were putting this quirky, independent actor in the middle of it and people thought we were crazy. The fact that it worked is a miracle.

‘They were certainly nervous watching the rushes everyday but when it all came together, something just clicked and it was magic and connected with audiences. I’m proud to be a part of it.’

Beaming with pride, Beattie added that his first film was nominated both for best film and Depp was leading actor at the Oscars.

He said: ‘For a big, commercial popcorn movie to get a Oscar nomination, for the actor, is incredible. So that was a lot of fun seeing that.’

(Excerpt) Read More at: DailyMail.co.uk