The Pirates of the Caribbean films have gradually dropped in quality with each new installment. But it really wouldn’t have its large following without the stumbling rum thirsty pirate Jack Sparrow. Played by Johnny Depp, the character has been the face of the franchise since the very beginning. However, Disney is looking to reboot the franchise, but without its franchise captain at the helm.

This could be disappointing to some, but the decision will help Disney save a significant amount of money. Casting Depp in these films require the studio to go deep into their pockets. More on the report, below.

In the report from Forbes, Disney’s decision not to move forward with Depp will save them about $90 million in their budget. That just shows how costly one casting can be. Of course, production alone can be very pricey. But when it comes to casting, A-listers can come with a big price tag. And with equal pay becoming more relevant, it looks like giving one person $90 million, while others get very little is no longer going to become the norm.

The sixth installment, which will be penned by Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, is being described by Disney’s live-action production president Sean Bailey, as a “kick in the pants.” Something that many say the franchise needed thanks to declining box office results with each new Pirates film.

Of course, all of that is not to say that it is entirely Depp’s fault. He was just one piece of the larger puzzle. And part of what made it so successful in the first place. The franchise as a whole has grossed over $4.5 billion, which makes it the 12th highest grossing film franchise. And while Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales only grossed a franchise-low $173 million domestically, on a production budget of $230 million, it still made an impressive $788 million haul worldwide.

However, one of the reasons for that may lie with the how heavily involved Depp was with tinkering with Jeff Nathanson’s script. Of course, when you have been the face of the franchise for four films, you not only have earned the right to be paid that $90 million by producers but you also get to have a say in what your character does in a new installment.

Still, there is no denying that Dead Men Tell No Tales is by far one of the weakest in the franchise, at least box office wise. It was one of my favorite Pirates films.

[Source: Forbes]