Captain Jack Sparrow has become one of the most iconic characters in all of cinema. From the very first moment that Johnny Depp sauntered on screen, he stole our hearts and captivated our imaginations.
Now, in the wake of allegations of abuse, Disney has chosen to part ways with Johnny Depp. This news hit hard and led many to presume that the entire Pirates of the Caribbean franchise was sunk.
I'm here today to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth.
I remember watching The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in theaters and being absolutely blown away. Watching that movie is like riding a rollercoaster, the kind you want to get on again and again.
Critics and audiences alike were instantly won-over by Johnny's witty, slapstick swagger, so much so that he received an Oscar nomination for "Best Actor." He helped build this franchise into what it is today, and for that — we will always be grateful.
Let's be honest — Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales was largely a disappointment. It relied too heavily on cheap gimmicks and heavy doses of nostalgia, without devoting nearly enough time to character development and story.
None of us want to see Captain Jack Sparrow fade away, but at the same time to keep him around at the risk of tarnishing his incredible legacy seems foolhardy. There needs to be some middle ground and the best way to find it is by making a prequel.
Wouldn't you be interested to learn how it all began? The story of how Jack Sparrow became one of the most infamous pirates in all the Seven Seas?
The film could detail his early life growing up as a boy. Audiences could be treated to the mishaps of his first voyage and bear witness to the many iconic moments that helped make him the swashbuckling scallywag we know and love.
While I've no doubt that any number of young actors would and could do a passable job, there's only one name that comes to my mind when I think young Jack — Timothée Chalamet.
We recently saw Tim take up the mantle of another one of Johnny Depp's classic characters, Edward Scissorhands, during a commercial in this year's Super Bowl.
Try and picture him in pirate garb; can you see it?
Over the years, the Pirates of the Caribbean has introduced audiences to some of the vilest pirates known to mankind: from Black Beard to Davy Jones. Yet there still remains one glaring omission from the canon — Long John Silver.
The legendary one-legged antagonist from the pages of "Treasure Island" would be the perfect addition to the collective lore of the Pirates of the Caribbean universe.
Anne Bonny was one of the most famous female pirates in history. When she was 10-years-old, Anne moved with her family to the Bahamas and it was here that she met her future husband, the infamous 'Calico Jack.'
After two years of pillaging and pirating, Anne was sentenced to hang. She managed to escape her fate and flee after it was discovered that she was pregnant and was never heard from again.
Captain Jack Sparrow and the entire Pirates of the Caribbean franchise are bigger than any one person. Just because Johnny may be walking away, by no means does that mean that the sun is setting — quite the opposite.
What we should be doing is approaching this situation the same way we would any new day: with limitless potential and unwavering optimism. Pirates of the Caribbean isn't over, this is simply a changing of the guard.
