Johnny Depp Close to Deal for Fifth 'Pirates' Movie

Johnny Depp is close to signing a deal to star in a fifth “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie, an individual close to the negotiations told TheWrap. In May, producer Jerry Bruckheimer said he was working on a fifth “Pirates” script -- and that he wouldn’t make the movie without Depp.

Hopefully, if this one does well, (Depp) will want to come back and play the character again,” Bruckheimer told the L.A. Times. “But it’s going to depend on the screenplay. It always does. He’s maniacal about not wanting to disappoint his audience.”

"This one" is the fourth installment in the franchise, "On Stranger Tides." And it did do well: This past weekend, it surpassed $1 billion at the global box office. Apparently, Depp likes what he sees. He’s negotiating for the movie.

Another individual close to the franchise said that a rough draft for the script was in, and that producer Bruckheimer and others were meeting intensively - three and four times a week - on improving it. A deal will depend on whether Depp likes the script, but this individual said the broad strokes were in place for a deal with the lead actor.