With Pirates of the Caribbean franchise as the iconic scoundrel Captain Jack Sparrow for five movies over 14 years, and indeed much of the theme-park-turned-blockbuster's success can be attributed to his Oscar-nominated turn. But as time has ed, it looks as if the franchise might be better off ing the torch to a new protagonist.
Although The Curse of the Black Pearl made a strong first impression on audiences and critics, each following movie received harsher and harsher reviews even as box office climbed, ending with the most recent entry Dead Men Tell No Tales, reviled and bringing in an adequate but underwhelming $794.9 million. While it may not be the only reason for a decline, a major part of why the sequels have seemed to struggle is because Jack Sparrow's character seems to have run its course - especially after the departure of Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner post-At World's End (both returned for small roles in the fifth movie, but Jack was still very much the lead).
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Although he's certainly an entertaining presence, Jack Sparrow doesn't bring the depth or complexity required to carry a film, even when paired with new characters like Penelope Cruz's Angelica. Add to this Depp's box office stock has faltered since the heights of the early 2010s (not to mention allegations of domestic abuse from his marriage to Amber Heard), and it may be time for a new, more refreshing character to lead the franchise should Pirates of the Caribbean 6 happen. And, while replacing Jack Sparrow may seem like an insurmountable task, the Disney Parks have already laid out a worthy successor.
Disney made waves back in 2018 when it announced that it would be temporarily closing the classic Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Walt Disney World and Disneyland to update the story. After calls for changes to a scene in which women were being auctioned off as brides for drunken pirates, the parks transformed a captive redhead into a pirate conducting the auction, renaming her from "the redhead" to "Redd". Given the auction scene's status as a cult favorite for Disney fans, the move was controversial, especially because it involved the removal of the line "we wants the redhead!" which had become one of the ride's most iconic moments.
However, the ride's update was certainly for the better. It gave Redd much more agency and sets her up to be a swashbuckling pirate in her own right who is just as quick-witted and bold as Jack. The Pirates franchise has had a tumultuous relationship with its female characters - while Elizabeth Swann was well-developed, others like Carina and Angelica were more one-note. With that in mind, making Redd the protagonist would allow the series to address deep-seating issues and move in a new, more diverse direction.
Many fans want Karen Gillan to lead the next Pirates of the Caribbean film, and with her striking red hair and charismatic acting style would be a perfect fit to portray Redd on the big screen. Even if it isn't Gillan playing the role, however, Redd would still be an excellent choice for Pirates of the Caribbean 6's lead - a strong, capable, fiery female pirate, and a worthy successor to the iconic Jack Sparrow.
