Major news has dropped this weekend regarding the future of a major franchise starring Johnny Depp’s replacement.

Actor was once the crown jewel of Hollywood. With success beginning in the 1980s and ramping up throughout the 1990s, Johnny Depp took Hollywood by storm when he appeared as the pirate Captain Jack Sparrow in The Walt Disney Company’s (2003).

The immense success of Depp’s portrayal, as well as the film overall, . With big-name talents like Depp, Orlando Bloom (Will Turner), and Kiera Knightley (Elizabeth Swann) leading the cast, the

series went on to include the sequels, (2006), (2007), (2011), and (2017).

While starring as Jack Sparrow, Depp was no stranger to other Hollywood hits. He continued his collaboration with beloved director Tim Burton in movies like (2005), (2007), (2010), and (2012), while also appearing in other Disney-produced films like (2013) and (2014).

Depp’s most recent blockbuster was his appearance as the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in J.K. Rowling’s movies, (2016) and (2018). His time in the major Hollywood spotlight has since come to a close after his high-profile court cases with ex-wife Amber Heard.

After marrying in 2015, actress Amber Heard () filed for divorce in 2016. A series of allegations were made before British publication labeled Depp a “wife-beater,” with Depp suing the newspaper in a major libel lawsuit. Depp lost the libel case in London’s High Court, .

The domestic abuse allegations resurfaced in detail during last year’s defamation lawsuit after Depp sued Heard for $50 million after . This time, , with Depp guilty of defaming Heard on one. Judge Penney Azcarate revealed the jury’s decision at the end of the high-profile court case last year.

Now, . His most recent appearance was as the monarch King Louis XV in (2023, , at this time, no confirmation has been made regarding the actor’s return.

However, Depp will soon be back on a lot of minds come this festive period. In December, Warner Bros. will debut their new movie based on Willy Wonka, the eccentric chocolatier who first appeared in the pages of Roald Dahl’s books many years ago.

Actor Timothée Chalamet will be the next actor to become the famous Willy Wonka in the canon,

. The movie, directed by Paul King, focuses on Wonka’s early days before he became the owner of the famous chocolate factory. Chalamet will be joined by Keegan-Michael Key, Rowan Atkinson, Sally Hawkins, Olivia Colman, and Jim Carter in the film, which has a screenplay by King and Simon Farnaby.

And shortly after the release of (2023), Chalamet, Johnny Depp’s replacement, will next appear in the delayed sequel to (2021),. The Dune movies are just the latest in a long list of acclaimed films Chalamet has been a part of. From Greta Gerwig’s (2017) and (2019) to starring alongside Armie Hammer in

(2017) and Steve Carrell in (2018), Chalamet’s star has been on the rise for years.

After facing a series of delays, thanks in part to the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes, Chalamet’s upcoming movie was pushed to a March 2024 release. This came after its original release date of October 2023 was moved to November 2023.

Up until recently, Denis Villeneuve’s sequel was projected to be released on March 15, 2024, but in big bombshell news,

. will be released on March 1, 2024.

Chalamet plays the lead Paul Atreides in the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic science-fiction novel. He stars alongside Zendaya as Chani, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, and Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban, among many other high-profile names.

While a lot of the movies slated for 2023 have been delayed or postponed due to the effects of other releases and the Hollywood strikes, 2024 looks set to bring a more consistent slate of feature films, including this major new sequel in the

universe.

As for , producer Jerry Bruckheimer has stated that the screenplay is being worked on and that he would love to work with Johnny Depp once again. At present, there are no confirmations on whether Jack Sparrow will return or if the series will follow someone new.

Are you happy that will be coming sooner than expected? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!