Orlando Bloom would be open to reprising the role of Will Turner in a future Pirates of the Caribbean installment. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor discussed the franchise’s future, offering his thoughts on the in-development reboot. “I’ve heard [producer Jerry Bruckheimer is] pretty excited about it,” Bloom said. When asked if he’d be game to return, Bloom left the door open. “Listen, it was a wild and fun experience so, you know, never say never,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for that experience, and Jerry, and the whole thing.”
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Still, Bloom admitted such a return isn’t at the forefront of his mind. “I mean, it’s sort of one of those things I really haven’t thought about it, really,” he said. “I’m happy that I got to be a part of something that feels like it’s standing the test of time, which is cool.”
Alongside Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley, Bloom was one of the main stars of the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy released during the 2000s. While his Will Turner was absent from 2011’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, he did make a brief appearance in 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. There, Will becomes free of the curse bonding him to The Flying Dutchman, allowing him to reunite with Elizabeth Swann.
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Disney is interested in reviving the franchise, but it’s unknown what shape a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie will take. At one point, the studio was considering a reboot headlined by Margot Robbie, but that project was shelved back in 2022. As Disney continues to weigh their options, more recent reports indicate it’s possible Depp could return to play Captain Jack Sparrow again, though no offer has been made.
Complicating the prospect of Bloom returning is the fact Knightley has stepped away from the franchise, ruling out a possible comeback. Considering how intertwined Will and Elizabeth are, it might prove too difficult to conceive a story that involves one but not the other. The filmmakers could always recast the role of Elizabeth, but that would run the risk of upsetting and alienating longtime fans. If Pirates of the Caribbean is to return, the goal would be to revitalize the property and hopefully rebound from Dead Men Tell No Tales‘ poor reception. Doing something as polarizing as splitting up Will and Elizabeth or replacing Knightley could put the project at an immediate disadvantage, creating hurdles it may never clear.
Still, Bloom and Depp had a great dynamic in their films together, so if there is a way to pull this off, it would be fun to see Jack and Will embark on another adventure. Of course, there’s no guarantee a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean movie happens. Bruckheimer suggested to us last year that the project’s fate is up to Disney executives, saying, “[L]et’s hope Disney likes it,” when asked about the script. Even though the franchise is one of the studio’s most recognizable, it may be cautious about green-lighting another installment, seeing that Dead Men Tell No Tales was the lowest-grossing entry since the original. While it still made $794.8 million worldwide, that’s a far drop from the brand’s previous $1 billion heights. Unless Disney is confident a new Pirates movie will re-energize audiences’ love for the property, maybe they’ll keep it on ice — whether Bloom is open to a return or not.
