'Pirates of the Caribbean' Reboot in the Works

Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean is back in the business of plundering. The studio has reportedly hired Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin to develop a Johnny Depp-free Pirates movie with Ted Elliott, a veteran of the franchise. The new film is intended to revive interest in the franchise following Depp's off-screen issues.

Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that Elliott and Mazin's hiring puts the new Pirates movie in "early stages of development," and they will be asked to find a story and director. Jerry Bruckheimer, who oversaw the previous Pirates movies, will produce again.

Back in December 2018, Disney Studios President of Production Sean Bailey confirmed rumors that Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick were hired to bring "new energy" to the series. However, they left the film earlier this year, putting the project on the back burner for the studio.

Mazin brings an interesting mix of experience to the Pirates franchise. He established himself as a comedy writer, working on movies Scary Movie 3, Scary Movie 4, The Hangover Part III and Identity Thief. He also has experience on big-budget blockbusters, having worked on The Huntsman: Winter's War and the upcoming Charlie's Angels.

However, this year, Mazin's career took an unexpected turn with Chernobyl, the acclaimed HBO miniseries about the 1986 nuclear reactor disaster in Ukraine. The five-episode miniseries earned a whopping 10 Primetime Emmys, including Outstanding Limited Series and Oustanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special. Jared Harris, Emily Watson and Stellan Skarsgard were nominated for their performances in the show.

As for Elliott, he worked on Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in 2003 and the next three films in the series, Dead Man's Chest, At World's End and On Stranger Tides with Terry Rossio.

News of a Pirates reboot surfaced late last year. After 2017's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales only grossed $172.5 million domestically, Bailey told The Hollywood Reporter it was time to re-energize the franchise. At the time, it looked like Reese and Wernick would be the writers to do it.

"We want to bring in a new energy and vitality. I love the [Pirates] movies, but part of the reason Paul and Rhett are so interesting is that we want to give it a kick in the pants," Bailey said. "And that's what I've tasked them with."

Stuart Beattie, who worked on the first Pirates movie, told The Daily Mail he heard Disney was reviving the franchise without Depp and endorsed Reese and Wernick.

"Hopefully they'll bring a lot of the great comedic subversiveness," Beattie told The Daily Mail. "I was laughing out of my seat in the opening credits of Deadpool so I am a big fan of those guys and I hope they do something really special."

Although Depp was already a star when Curse of the Black Pearl was released in 2003, the film made him an international celebrity thanks to his Oscar-nominated performance as Captain Jack Sparrow. However, his image has been tarnished by his off-screen controversies, including his ongoing legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard over her domestic violence claims against him.

Photo credit: YouTube/Disney