Daily Times

A pirate’s life may not be for Johnny Depp. On June 27, a report surfaced claiming the actor was working on a $301 million deal to return to the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise.

“Disney is very interested in patching up their relationship with Johnny Depp,” a source told PopTopic close to four years after the actor parted ways with Disney. “They are very hopeful that Johnny will forgive them and return as his iconic character.”

But before Depp fans get too excited, a representative for the actor told NBC News, “This is made up.”

Depp played Captain Jack Sparrow in all five movies, the latest one being the 2017 film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Back in May, Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who is now working on two more films, was asked if Depp would be back for future projects. “Not at this point,” he told The Sunday Times. “The future is yet to be decided.” The comments were made when Depp was in the middle of his defamation trial against ex Amber Heard. During the trial, Depp shared that he has no interest in returning for more Pirates movies.

At one point, Heard’s attorney Ben Rottenborn asked the actor, “The fact is, Mr. Depp, if Disney came to you with $300 million and a million alpacas, nothing on this earth would get you to go back and work with Disney on a Pirates of the Caribbean film? Correct?”

Depp replied, “That is true, Mr. Rottenborn.”

A Virginia jury later ruled that Heard was liable of defaming Depp.

The jury awarded $10 million to Depp in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Penney Azcarate later reduced the punitive damages to $350,000, which is the state’s statutory cap or legal limit, making his total damages less than $10.4 million.

As for Heard’s countersuit, the jury awarded the actress $2 million in compensatory damages. Depp is set to join his Hollywood Vampires bandmates-classic rock icons Alice Cooper, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen-for an overseas tour next year.