Disney is home to some of the biggest film franchises that the world has ever seen, but sometimes making new entries, even in very successful franchises, can be a tall order. Disney still hasn’t found a script it's happy with for a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, but we know that work is continually being done on that. It turns out the same is true of a potential National Treasure 3.

National Treasure, starring Nicolas Cage, was a solid hit that spawned one sequel, Book of Shadows, which in turn teased a sequel of its own, though it’s one that has not materialized in the nearly 20 years since that film was released. There has been on again off again talk about a third entry over the years. Most recently, in 2024, producer Jerry Bruckheimer indicated a new film was on the drawing board, though it’s been a while since we’ve heard anything about it.

Jerry Bruckheimer Says National Treasure 3 Is "Coming Along"

Fans can get at least a little excited, however, as Bruckheimer recently spoke with The Direct, where he indicated that National Treasure 3 is still “coming along quite well” and that they were still actively "working on the script for it." While that certainly doesn't give us any reason to expect that the movie will happen anytime soon, there is clearly still hope that it will happen eventually.

This is in sharp relief to comments Nicolas Cage made a couple of years ago, where he seemingly removed all hope that National Treasure 3 would happen. There is still hope that if a sequel did happen, Cage would be back. Franchise director Jon Turtletaub seems confident that if the movie happens, the star would return.

Attempts To Continue The Franchise Without Nicolas Cage Were Not Successful

And Cage’s return will likely be key to a National Treasure 3 happening at all. The only new franchise entry we’ve seen since the second movie was the series National Treasure: Edge of History (available with a Disney+ subscription). Cage did not appear, and the series was cancelled after one season. While there’s certainly no guarantee those two things were related, it’s difficult not to make such a connection.

Last we heard, Ted Elliott, who is also attached to the in-progress Pirates of the Caribbean 6 script, was the one handling the new National Treasure movie as well. Maybe this is why both movies have taken so long if one person is trying to put them both together at the same time.

Considering how many recent movies have seen sequels come out decades after the original, and sometimes to great success, there’s no reason to assume National Treasure 3 won’t be great, assuming it actually happens.

Since Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales came out in 2017, there’s been chatter about a sequel. Things got a bit messy after Johnny Depp’s very public split and court battle with Amber Heard. For a while, it looked like he was out as Captain Jack. But now that interest in a rumored Pirates 6 is picking up again, the film’s producer has made it clear where he stands on Depp coming back.

In February 2026, a report emerged suggesting that a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie was in development, focusing on Jack Sparrow's son. This raised questions about whether Johnny Depp would be replaced as the lead character in the franchise. However, when The Direct spoke with franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer at the Producers Guild Awards, he clarified the situation and shared his perspective:

Bruckheimer has been the driving producing force behind all five Pirates films, making him the one constant throughout the franchise’s two-decade run. If anyone has a major say in what the next installment looks like, and whether the Edward Scissorhands star returns, it’s him. And he’s consistently made it clear that he’d welcome Johnny Depp back.

Bringing the Ed Wood actor into a sixth film would not only energize longtime fans but also provide a natural bridge between the franchise’s past and whatever direction it heads next, especially if the idea of introducing Jack Sparrow’s son is still on the table. Of course, the ultimate decision rests with the actor. Back in July 2023, a source told People that “anything is possible” regarding a potential return, leaving the door at least slightly ajar.

It’s also worth remembering that Bruckheimer famously stood by Depp’s eccentric take on Captain Jack Sparrow in the early days, even when others were skeptical of the performance. His continued involvement in a sixth movie signals stability at a time when the franchise appears to be recalibrating. And the ongoing chatter about the Willy Wonka performer's return is likely one of the reasons Disney continues to quietly develop the project behind the scenes.

Then there’s the Margot Robbie factor. For years, reports suggested that she would produce and potentially star in a female-led Pirates spinoff, essentially a soft reboot set in the same universe. That version seemed to stall out, but Bruckheimer recently offered a cryptic update when asked whether the next film would involve Robbie or Jack’s son. His response? “They’re close on part of it. That’s all I’ll tell ya.”

After his latest comments at the PGA Awards, it’s hard not to wonder which “part” he was referring to, and whether Depp’s return is more realistic than fans might have assumed.

That said, if you’re placing bets on whether Top Gun 3 or Pirates 6 will hit theaters first, you might want to put your money on Maverick. While neither sequel will be ready for the 2026 movie schedule, Bruckheimer, producer of both franchises, has indicated that the next high-octane Tom Cruise installment is further along in development.

If you’ve been wondering which Jerry Bruckheimer sequel will hit the new movie release calendar first, the upcoming Top Gun 3 or rumored Pirates of the Caribbean 6, you’re not alone. As it turns out, many fans want to know the answer to that question. Now, the producer himself provides the latest information on the projects and explains why he sees it as a tight race.

Speaking with Entertainment Tonight at the 98th Oscars Nominees Luncheon, Bruckheimer offered a candid update on both projects. The veteran producer was on hand to discuss his Oscar-nominated film F1, but naturally, the conversation turned to two of his biggest franchises. When asked which sequel is further along, the producer didn’t hesitate to frame it as a close call. He shared:

That’s about as direct an update as fans have received in a while. Both franchises have been in development limbo for years. Top Gun: Maverick became a massive box office success in 2022, grossing nearly $1.5 billion worldwide and revitalizing the decades-old property in a way few legacy sequels manage to pull off. A third installment was quickly discussed, but concrete details have been scarce since.

Meanwhile, Pirates of the Caribbean has been adrift since 2017’s Dead Men Tell No Tales. Multiple scripts have reportedly been developed, including versions tied to Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow and separate concepts involving Margot Robbie. Yet despite the franchise’s $4.5 billion global haul across five films, a sixth entry hasn’t officially moved into production.

Now, based on Bruckheimer’s comments, it sounds like Top Gun 3 has a slight edge, but only slightly. Calling it a “horse race” suggests both projects are actively moving forward behind the scenes. The fact that a Top Gun script is expected “shortly” indicates tangible progress. That’s a meaningful step in Hollywood development terms, where many sequels stall long before a finished screenplay materializes.

Still, Pirates clearly isn’t out of the running. Bruckheimer’s recent comments about ongoing discussions surrounding the franchise signal that Disney hasn’t shelved the property. It may simply be taking longer to chart the right course.

The interesting wrinkle here is timing. With incoming leadership changes at Disney and ongoing franchise recalibration across the industry, both sequels represent major tentpoles. Whichever film arrives first will likely be viewed as a statement about where the studio and Bruckheimer are placing their bets.

Star power is also a factor. Top Gun 3 depends on Tom Cruise’s schedule and interest, while Pirates 6 continues to orbit questions about Johnny Depp’s potential return or the series's move in a new direction.

For years, there have been reports that Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap production company has been involved in developing a Pirates project in some capacity. That’s despite Robbie previously suggesting her version was no longer moving forward, and yet recent rumors indicate it may not be completely off the table. What her involvement actually looks like remains unclear. She could be attached to star, produce, or simply participate in early creative discussions. As Bruckheimer has implied before, the term “involved” can mean a wide range of things.

For now, Top Gun 3 may be “a hair ahead” of Pirates 6, but in a horse race, that can change fast. Fans can revisit Top Gun: Maverick with a Paramount+ subscription, as well as the entire Pirates of the Caribbean franchise with their Disney+ subscription.

For years, the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has felt like it’s been drifting somewhere between development limbo and the open sea. That uncertainty surged again last week when a report claimed the next installment could center on Jack Sparrow’s son, with Margot Robbie co-leading the adventure, a notable twist, considering Robbie’s version of the franchise had seemed to quietly sink a few years ago.

Now, fresh rumors are making waves again, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer is offering just enough to keep speculation alive. While speaking with Entertainment Tonight at the 98th Oscars Nominees Luncheon, he addressed the long-running question of whether a Robbie-led sequel is still in play, keeping his response characteristically vague but far from dismissive. He said:

That’s not a greenlight announcement. But it’s not a denial either. He added another intriguing tease when asked about whether the DC movie star is still attached to the project:

That phrasing is very intriguing. “Close on part of it” could mean script revisions or story direction. It could mean talent discussions. What it clearly doesn’t mean is that production is imminent. In fact, Bruckheimer has acknowledged elsewhere that Top Gun 3 is further along than Pirates 6 at this stage. Still, the Margot Robbie connection appears to be alive in some form, as he added:

That lines up with earlier reports that the Wuthering Heights actress’s LuckyChap banner had been involved in development at various points. Whether that means she’s starring, producing, or simply part of ongoing creative talks remains unclear. As Bruckheimer’s previous comments have shown, the word “involved” can cover a wide range of possibilities.

There’s also the lingering Johnny Depp question. Bruckheimer has been open about his interest in bringing Depp back, but no official negotiations have been announced. A recent report noted that incoming Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro may feel pressure to make an early splash on the entertainment side of the business, and reviving Pirates of the Caribbean in a meaningful way would certainly qualify. While no deal is in place, if Disney wants to signal stability and box-office confidence under new leadership, bringing Captain Jack Sparrow back into the fold would be a very headline-grabbing way to do it.

What’s fascinating is how persistent the rumors surrounding the Margot Robbie-backed film have been. Even after she publicly indicated the project wasn’t moving forward, it never fully disappeared. Now, with Bruckheimer hinting that at least part of the rumor mill is on the “right road,” the idea feels less like a relic and more like a possibility again.

At this point, the only consistent thing about Pirates 6 is that nothing is ever entirely off the table. As always with Pirates, we’re waiting for a clear signal on the horizon. Until then, the speculation isn’t going anywhere, but fans can revisit all five Pirates of the Caribbean movies with their Disney+ subscription.

Like many, many others, I dedicate a few hours every December to spend time with Bruce Willis. Despite what the haters say, Die Hard is unquestionably a Christmas movie, and it never gets old spending the holiday annually watching John McClane navigate the upper floors of Nakatomi Plaza as he works to foil the plans of the nefarious Hans Gruber. The film features Willis at his “everyman” best, and the character is obviously a performance, it’s nonetheless comforting to know that it very much a reflection of who the actor is as a person.

Vanity Fair recently published a profile of Jerry Bruckheimer, and while the well-known super producer didn’t work with Bruce Willis on Die Hard (that was Joel Silver’s domain), he does recall his experience collaborating with the star on Michael Bay’s 1998 blockbuster Armageddon. Contrary to the cliched image of a Hollywood A-lister, the Willis described by the filmmaker was a dedicated worker on the set of the hit disaster movie, which echoed his blue collar past. Said Bruckheimer,

It takes no effort at all to find stories about big time actors who habitually show up late, boss around members of the crew, and bolt to their trailer at every opportunity, but that’s the opposite of the man with whom Jerry Bruckheimer worked telling the story of a crew of oil drillers who become astronauts and save the planet.

Because of the nature of an actor’s work, it can be very easy to misinterpret who they actually are when they are off screen, but there’s a loveliness in Bruce Willis being of the more “genuine article” sort, and the knowledge will only serve to make Die Hard a greater comfort watch.

Should you be interested in watching the greatest holiday classic from 1988, Die Hard is a blockbuster that’s very easy to access in the modern age of entertainment. Unlike most films that have only one streaming option, you can start watching the Bruce Willis film with just a few clicks if you have A) a Hulu subscription, B) an Amazon Prime subscription, and/or C) a Peacock subscription. Other online options include digital rentals/purchase from all major outlets, and if you’re a physical media collector, you can pick up a copy on 4K UHD or Blu-ray.

Many people in Hollywood seem to have mastered the movie business, and it’s possible that none have done so more than mega movie and TV producer Jerry Bruckheimer. His 50+ year career is filled with so many hits on both the big and small screen that one would be hard pressed to recall them all, even knowing that he counts 2025 movie schedule win, F1, among them. He’s worked with some of the world’s top stars, including Tom Cruise, and he was recently very honest about what it’s like to make a movie with the Top Gun: Maverick headliner.

What Did Jerry Bruckheimer Say About Working With Tom Cruise?

Over the years, we’ve heard a lot about how dedicated Tom Cruise is to things like completing all of his own unbelievable stunts, how he seemingly “truly, truly connects” with everyone he meets, supports his co-stars and is there for projects (like NCIS: Origins) that he appears to have no stake in, and (of course) how he never forgets to send anyone that famous coconut cake every Christmas. So, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that Jerry Bruckheimer, who worked with Cruise on Top Gun, its mega-hit 2022 sequel, and Days of Thunder in 1990, also extols his virtues as one of the hardest working movie stars.

Bruckheimer recently spoke to Vanity Fair, and when talking about his experiences with Cruise, noted how he’s grown from an actor to someone who also produces his movies, and said:

We all know that there can be literally hundreds of people who work on a movie set on any given day. Understanding that Cruise can actually recognize everyone on set, what they’re supposed to be doing, and whether or not they’re fulfilling those duties to the best of their ability…while also taking care of his responsibilities as an actor, is wild.

Though, we do all remember the infamous on-set incident when he yelled at two crew members for breaking Covid protocols during the pandemic. That alone means I don’t doubt that he’s very capable when it comes to the whole “not suffering fools” thing. Bruckheimer continued:

Cruise’s all-in nature might be confusing or intimidating to some, but it seems pretty apparent that it’s helped to make him the star he’s been for many decades now. And, when others who are the best in the business admire how hard you work, there’s probably little that can stop you.

In the history of Hollywood, there are those movies that, for whatever reason, become icons of their era. These aren't necessarily the best movies, but the movies that everybody remembers as something special in some way. Michael Mann’s Heat is one of those films that has only seemed to grow in popularity over the years. This is why a lot of people are sort of freaking out over the fact that Heat 2 is seemingly really happening.

Heat 2 is one of those projects that has obtained mythic status. Fans have wanted it for decades. For just as long, it seemed unlikely, but now the movie has begun coming together. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has spoken about the plans for Heat 2, and it sounds like fans who won’t believe it until it really starts filming won’t have too much longer to wait. Speaking with HeyUGuys, the producer simply said…

Obviously, the word “hopefully" there would indicate that nothing is set in stone, and that production on Heat 2 happening in August isn’t a guarantee. Still, the fact that the movie has a window of time it is eyeing means that a start is close enough on the horizon that there is a current timeline in mind.

When it comes to the question of what might be the determining factor in when Heat 2 starts filming, Jerry Bruckheimer drops two names: the potential star, Leonardo DiCaprio, and the writer/director, Michael Mann. Bruckheimer continued…

More than likely, when Jerry Buckheimer calls DiCaprio a “key element,” he means that the movie may need to shift its schedule to accommodate him. If some other project of Leo’s ends up making shooting Heat 2 in August impossible, then rather than cast another actor, the movie will delay its production. The same goes for Michael Mann. Clearly nobody else will be considered to direct this one, since it’s based on a screenplay written by Mann, which was based in turn on a book the director wrote himself.

Heat 2 the book functions as both a prequel and a sequel, with the story being told in a non-linear form, jumping between time periods before and shortly after the events of the original film. While the movie is directly connected to the original, the roles will all be played by different actors. DiCaprio is expected to take on the role originated by the late Val Kilmer, while Christian Bale has also reportedly been in talks for a major role. Adam Driver and Austin Butler are also rumored to be involved, but it’s unclear how likely that is at this point.

Even if filming on Heat 2 ends up being delayed from August 2026, for a movie that has been in some form of development since 2023, it’s clearly closer to becoming a reality than ever before. It’s no longer a question of if this movie will happen; it now feels like it’s only a matter of when.

Not many people, even if they’re actors, will have the experience of being the lead in a hit movie, and I’m guessing that fewer still can say they were able to do that while working with famed film producer Jerry Bruckenheimer. However, two of our biggest actors for several decades now, 2025 movie schedule stars Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, can say both of those things about their careers, and Bruckenheimer recently opened up about why each is so amazing to have as leads in a movie.

Why Jerry Bruckheimer Loves Working With Tom Cruise And Brad Pitt

OK, I think it’s possible that if either F1 lead Brad Pitt or Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’s Tom Cruise were absolutely terrible to work with at this point, that they might not still be two of our biggest movie stars in the world. The megawatt actors have racked up some impressively memorable hits over the years, apart in movies like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Top Gun and its massive hit sequel Top Gun: Maverick, Word War Z, the Ocean’s 11 franchise, and Risky Business, and together in Interview with A Vampire.

It makes sense then that producer Jerry Bruckheimer (who’s worked with both) would be able to easily extol the virtues of doing business with each actor. When speaking with Variety about some of the movies he currently has in the pipeline and the success of this summer’s F1 (starring Pitt and produced by him), the filmmaker noted how important it is to have talent at the top of the call sheet who are willing to go the extra mile to make a film work. Bruckheimer noted:

I’m sure that there are lots of qualities that actors could have which add value once they’re added to a cast, from basic things like showing up on time and coming in prepared, to more high level skills. And, being someone who’s known to “want to win” certainly seems like it’s something that fits in the latter category that not everyone will be able to fulfill all of the time.

Wanting to “make a great movie” likely encompasses a lot of things, but we’ve heard (and seen), for instance, how Cruise has literally put his life on the line for extreme movie stunts and done insane extra stuff to make sure every scene comes out as perfect as possible. You don’t do things like that without an absolute commitment to the film you’re working on and wanting audiences to have the best possible experience with the finished product.

As these stars know, not every movie can be a slam dunk, but your chances are a lot better if you approach them with that kind of winning attitude.

Pirates of the Caribbean is one of Disney’s most successful live-action franchises, which makes it more than a little surprising that we haven’t seen an entry in the series in eight years. That hasn’t been for lack of trying, as there have been multiple scripts in development for the series at different points. One of those scripts might see the return of Johnny Depp, and another, that we thought was dead, would have starred Margot Robbie.

The most recent comments, from both Margot Robbie herself and franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer, were that the project was, if not dead, on the back burner, but now it appears that may not entirely be the case.

What Margot Robbie Said About Her Pirates Of The Caribbean Movie

Back in 2020, three years after the last PotC movie and two years after Disney reportedly decided to move forward with the franchise without Johnny Depp, there were reportedly two different Pirates movies in development at Disney, one was believed to have been more of a direct sequel to the previous films, with writers Ted Elliot and Craig Mazin attached. The other would have rebooted the franchise, starring Margot Robbie and written by her Birds of Prey scribe, Christina Hodson.

At some point, Disney decided to move forward with the first script, not the one Robbie was involved in. While the actress and producer has never said a great deal about what that movie would have been, she did confirm its existence, as well as its apparent demise back in 2022, saying…

Later comments from producer Jerry Bruckheimer seemed to indicate that Robbie’s project wasn’t entirely dead and might still happen down the road. At that point, the case was that the other movie would happen first, but considering we’ve heard nothing about it in years, and that Disney has yet to produce any Pirates of the Caribbean follow-up in the ensuing years, the project certainly seemed over.

What Jerry Bruckheimer Is Now Saying About Robbie’s Future In the Franchise

But that may not actually be the case. In a recent conversation with The Wrap, when Jerry Bruckheimer was asked about the status of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 and Margot Robbie’s involvement specifically, he said:

This was reportedly in reference to the upcoming film, which was written by franchise scribe Ted Elliot, but is reportedly undergoing rewrites from an unnamed screenwriter.

So now it appears that Margot Robbie is part of the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie after all. That said, the word “involved” covers a lot of ground. It could mean that plans are for her to play a role in the film, possibly even the lead, but it could also mean that she’s involved as a producer.

Robbie’s LuckyChap Productions has also been previously attached to another Disney movie based on a theme park ride, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. However, that’s another project we haven’t heard much about in a while.

At this point, the only thing that’s clear about the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is that very little is clear. As a fan, I’m certainly looking forward to getting something soon, and as a fan of Margot Robbie, I’m up for whatever part she may play in the franchise’s future.

For the past 45 years, Jerry Bruckheimer has been one of the most influential producers in Hollywood, bringing us popular movies like Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop, Bad Boys, Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure, and most recently among 2025 movie releases, F1 with Brad Pitt. So, what’s next? Bruckheimer has just weighed in, and it’s worth talking out a bit.

Blockbuster Producer Jerry Bruckheimer Comments On The State Of 3 Big Franchises

When the producer spoke to Variety at its own Entertainment & Technology Summit, he name dropped three franchises while talking about where he’s putting his focus next. In his words:

Bruckheimer said his hands are in about 30 projects right now, which are in various stages of development. Still, these three have to be the most high profile on everyone’s minds, and it sounds like he’s ready to deliver. Now, the producer didn’t expand on where exactly he’s at with these franchises, but he did give Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt specifically props for how they both are invested in making a “great movie” with a “great performance” for audiences that “will love it.”

Why Top Gun 3 Seems To Be Well On Its Way, And Pirates 6 Is Taking So Long

So let’s put these comments a bit more in context with what we’ve heard about them over the years.

First off with Top Gun 3. We’ve been hearing a lot more about the followup to Maverick than Pirates or the next F1 movie after the sequel was such a success in 2022. Over the summer, Joseph Kosinski said he thought they “found a way in” to continue Top Gun after Bruckheimer’s update from the year prior was that they were exploring “some interesting ideas” but hadn't landed one. Certainly, Top Gun 3 seems to still be in the development stage as Bruckheimer confirms, but it feels like it’s only a matter of time before Cruise is back in one of those fighter jets.

Then there’s F1. The movie starring Brad Pitt had a successful box office run starting with its impressive opening weekend and $624 million worldwide gross. It’s great to hear Bruckheimer’s ready to do another sequel, but it’s worth noting Kosinski directed it, too. So it might need to be Top Gun 3, and then the second F1 movie unless another filmmaker takes it up.

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is where things get more sticky. The last we heard about the Disney franchise was from a report that suggested Bruckheimer was developing two versions of the next Pirates movies on “parallel tracks.” One that would bring back Johnny Depp into the mix if they could get him back, and one that wouldn’t. Bruckheimer said earlier this year he thinks Depp would do it if he likes the script, and Orlando Bloom has separately shown interest, saying it would “be great to get the band back together.” But we still have yet to see official movement on which direction will actually happen.

All in all, there’s a lot to be excited about Bruckheimer’s comments. Top Gun, Pirates and F1 are crowd-pleasing franchises, and we're curious how the producer lands with them once they get out of the development stage into production.

For years, it seemed Johnny Depp’s swashbuckling days as Captain Jack Sparrow (one of his best performances) were over. Disney severed ties with the actor in 2018, and during his highly publicized 2022 defamation trial with ex-wife Amber Heard, the Edward Scissorhands actor famously declared he wouldn’t return “for $300 million and a million alpacas.” Now, Pirates of the Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer says the tide may be turning.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bruckheimer revealed that he has spoken to Depp about coming back for the sixth Pirates film, and the actor is at least open to the idea. The famous Producer explained:

It’s been a long eight years since Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales hit theaters in 2017, reuniting the former 21 Jump Street performer with Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley. Talks of a sixth film have been swirling since at least 2019, but the project has been stalled by script rewrites, shifting creative visions, including a version that would have starred Margot Robbie, but has reportedly been shelved, and most recently, the 2023 dual Hollywood strikes.

Bruckheimer confirmed the new installment is still in active development. Craig Mazin (The Last of Us) was initially collaborating with original series writer Ted Elliott before the strikes, but Jeff Nathanson (Dead Men Tell No Tales) has since taken the lead.

The longtime Pirates of the Caribbean shepherd has described the upcoming movie as a reboot, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a Sparrow-less voyage. He was previously quoted, saying:

Depp’s influence on the character is the stuff of Hollywood legend. Jack Sparrow’s eccentric blend of Pepé Le Pew charm and Keith Richards swagger wasn’t in the original script, but was the actor’s invention. And it’s hard to imagine the franchise without it.

If the Ed Wood star does step back into Captain Jack’s boots, it would signal a major thaw in his post-2018 split with Disney and years of self-imposed distance from Hollywood studio fare. The Pirates of the Caribbean producer once admitted he couldn’t secure even a cameo for Depp in future installments. Since the trial, the actor has largely focused on independent projects, but Bruckheimer believes the right script could lure him back to the helm.

That’s the caveat: the script needs to be something the Rango star feels is worthy of Jack’s return. As Bruckheimer puts it, “It’s all about what’s on the page.” Until that’s locked, the Black Pearl’s course remains uncertain. But for fans, the fact that Johnny Depp and Jerry Bruckheimer are talking and that the door isn’t closed might be the most hopeful sign in years.

As we wait for more news on the possible return of Captain Jack, fans of the Pirates franchise can revisit the first five installments with their Disney+ subscription.

Legacyquels are all the rage in Hollywood these days, and that means that producer Jerry Bruckheimer holds a lot of playable cards. In the last few years, he has been a player in the returns of the Top Gun, Bad Boys and Beverly Hills Cop franchises, and he has plans for more. What does he have cooking? One specific title he is looking to revisit is the naval drama of Crimson Tide.

Featuring the above-the-title star power of Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman, Crimson Tide was a big hit with both critics and audiences when it was released in 1995, and Bruckheimer is making moves to develop a 30-years-later sequel. He made mention of the project during a recent guest spot on The Rich Eisen Show, saying that talent is already attached:

Jerry Bruckheimer didn't drop any names regarding the filmmakers attached, but apparently they are so deeply involved that they are already doing research trips so that they can have a better understanding of the setting in which they'll be working.

But what about star power? Gene Hackman sadly passed away earlier this year, but Jerry Bruckheimer says that there is a goal to bring back Denzel Washington – suggesting that the story being developed will either involve or be directly about Lieutenant Commander Ronald "Ron" Hunter. Said the producer,

Directed by Tony Scott, the original Crimson Tide is set aboard a U.S. nuclear missile submarine and finds two officers in high stakes conflict regarding an order to launch their vessel's payload. While the movie came out three decades ago, nuclear submarines are still very much a thing, so there obviously is a world to revisit, and trading the atmosphere of post-Cold War to our modern conflict has a lot of potential.

It sounds like this project isn't exactly going to be ready to go into production next month, but it is noteworthy regardless that Denzel Washington has an interesting slate of upcoming projects. His newest movie, Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest, is arriving in theaters on August 22, but he is also attached to the Netflix heist movie Here Comes The Flood with Robert Pattinson and Daisy Edgar-Jones, and he has openly discussed a potential role in Ryan Coogler's Black Panther 3. And let's not forget that he's recently been working on Broadway starring opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in Othello.

As noted, Jerry Bruckheimer has been very successful in the last few years developing sequels to his hits from the 1990s, so don't be surprised if we soon start hearing a lot more about Crimson Tide 2.

It sounds a touch cynical, but not all producer credits carry the same amount of weight. The industry has a hefty history of what are called "vanity credits," which is when a person gets their name on a film despite having very little or possibly nothing to do with the production. It sometimes happens in an effort to adding clout to a project – but in the case of the new 2025 movie F1, that is definitely not an accurate description of the role played by champion driver Lewis Hamilton. More than his presence simply "legitimizing" the Formula 1-centric title, he had a very hands-on role behind the scenes.

CinemaBlend's own Jeff McCobb gained some great insight into Hamilton's presence in the making of F1 when he took part in the film's press day earlier this month. Jerry Bruckheimer spoke to how the world-renowned athlete lent his expertise work in extremely specific ways not just when the film was being finished but when the script was still in development. Said Bruckheimer,

Obviously the demographic that is going to be the most psyched for F1 are the people who love Formula 1 racing, and those people are going to be hyper-aware when something isn't right. That apparently goes as far as the sound of a gear shift in a very specific race, and Lewis Hamilton proved to be an invaluable resource.

Beyond the script, Hamilton also provided his professional perspective in getting F1's stars ready to look like experts behind the wheel. There's an argument to be made that Lewis Hamilton has the influence in status in his sport that Brad Pitt has in Hollywood – and those two forces came together in the making of director Joseph Kosinski's film in a cool way. According to Bruckheimer, the former got to see the latter train prior to the start of production, and he was impressed by what he saw:

Joseph Kosinski has previously said that the making of F1 simply wouldn't have worked if Brad Pitt couldn't do what he can do in the driver's seat of a Formula 1 car... but he was given solace by the ability that Lewis Hamilton recognized.

In a separate interview, Joseph Kosinski also spoke about the legend statuses of both Lewis Hamilton and Brad Pitt, noting that their talents are different but they stem from the same place: they both have a great amount of passion for what they do. Said the director,

Starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem, and Kerry Condon, F1 is rolling into theaters this weekend – and as I write in my CinemaBlend review of the new release, it's most definitely an experience made for the big screen. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more stories in the coming days from our interviews with filmmakers and stars.

In an era where Hollywood is defined by the successful film franchise, no studio has found more success than Disney. Having said that, outside of Marvel and Star Wars, the franchises the studio purchased, the only live-action franchise success Disney has actually found success with that is 100% homegrown is Pirates of the Caribbean. And much of that success is laid at the feet of one Captain Jack Sparrow.

It’s hard to understate the way Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow became a cinematic icon overnight. The performance was unlike anything we had seen before. Of course, that wasn’t necessarily a good thing at the time. Jerry Bruckheimer recently told Deadline that when he first saw what Depp had come up with, he didn’t think Disney would ever accept it. He said…

The story behind the creation of Captain Jack Sparrow has been talked about before over the years. The character, as Bruckheimer indicates, was originally seen as a more traditional heroic leading man, making Depp’s idea to find inspiration in Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards a significant curveball, to say the least.

Depp himself has said he thought then Disney CEO Michael Eisner would fire him when he heard Disney wasn't happy with what the actor was doing. Bruckheimer says that they were able to get Depp to tone down some of his ideas. Then, they showed the studio what Depp was actually doing, and moods improved. Bruckheimer continued…

In the end, Disney is certainly glad it went along for the ride. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was a massive hit, which has since spawned four additional films. It’s no wonder that despite the fact that we haven’t seen a new entry in the franchise in eight years, Disney has continued to work on multiple ideas for a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

The big question is whether or not that entry will include Captain Jack Sparrow. Disney had previously indicated the franchise was in line to be rebooted without Johnny Depp, following the actor's troubled legal issues. However, as time has passed, rumors of Depp’s potential return have continued to circulate. Most recently, Jerry Bruckheimer himself has indicated there are two different scripts for a future Pirates movie currently being considered, one that includes Jack Sparrow and one that does not.

Whether or not we see Jack Sparrow again, there’s no denying the character’s importance.

Brad Pitt is a movie star who seems to be in the quality over quantity mindset when it comes to his career these days. Prior to this weekend’s F1 release date, the actor hadn’t been the star of a movie since 2022’s Babylon! So how did the F1 producers get Pitt to become the star of the Formula One racing movie that required him to drive speeds up to 180 mph? Here’s the story.

Jerry Bruckheimer is one of the key producers behind F1, who previously made Top Gun: Maverick with Tom Cruise, on top of other hits like the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Bad Boys, National Treasure and Beverly Hills Cop. While speaking to Deadline, Bruckheimer was asked what made Pitt say yes for F1, especially considering the actor is currently over 60 and might not “want to be climbing mountains.” As he responded:

As the producer shared, Brad Pitt isn’t the kind of actor who’s not up for a physical challenge, even if Formula One drivers are typically in their 20s. But even so, we can imagine they knew he wouldn’t say yes to just anything. As Bruckheimer continued:

As it turns out, Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton being involved as a producer was really what convinced Brad Pitt to star in F1. Jerry Bruckheimer said he “wanted to be accurate” to the sport, and asserted that he wouldn’t do the movie if they used bluescreen. Thankfully, he was working with the guys behind Maverick, who got the entire cast of the Top Gun sequel in real fighter jets.

Brad Pitt and Damson Idris were put through the ringer with four months of physical training that allowed them to prepare for their bodies to withstand 5 Gs, but before that they had the chance to drive with Lewis Hamilton in the driver’s seat to get a sense for “what he’s in for,” per Bruckheimer. Apparently in retrospect, Brad Pitt was a better candidate than Tom Cruise for the role too, because the Mission: Impossible actor “pushes it to the limit.”

The result is a movie critics are calling “a hell of a ride” that sounds built to be a crowd pleaser. Brad Pitt isn’t one to do press, but the actor’s even been making an exception because he’s so “invested” in the movie. You can check out the latest of 2025 movies this weekend in theaters!

Johnny Depp was once one of the biggest movie stars in the world. However, following a pair of major legal battles the actor’s career had once appeared to be completely over. He’s recently been working on a comeback, however, and if recent rumors are to be believed, he could be on the verge of a major return in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Johnny Depp’s Biggest Movie Since His Legal Battles Is On The Way

Johnny Depp is currently working on the film Day Drinker, which will be the actor’s highest profile movie since his lengthy legal battle with ex Amber Heard. He’ll co-star alongside Penelope Cruz, who publicly defended Depp. And an unnamed source recently told InTouch Weekly that the actor is looking to return to his previous level of success, saying…

Of course, for Johnny Depp to have a “full” return to his former glory, as the unnamed source suggests here, that’s going to mean a return to major blockbuster movies. And surprisingly, according to some reports that may actually be happening.

Could Johnny Depp Return For Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 After All?

The Pirates of the Caribbean movies have been some of the most successful live-action films Disney has made outside of Marvel and Star Wars. A sixth movie in the franchise seemed like a sure thing, but following Johnny Depp’s legal troubles, the decision was made to reboot the franchise without him.

There have been multiple scripts in development in the last few years. A project that would have starred Margot Robbie was considered, but has reportedly been shelved., However, most recently, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who has not hidden his desire to keep Depp involved, revealed that there are two scripts for a new Pirates movie currently in development, and one of them would have Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow returning.

What’s more, a story from Express indicates that Depp is in “advanced” negotiations with Disney for a return. While we have to take this report with a grain of salt, if it’s true, it would seem that not only is Johnny Depp’s return to the Pirates franchise possible, it’s actually becoming likely.

It would certainly be a major shift for Disney. The studio has continually insisted that the franchise was moving on from Captain Jack Sparrow. Jerry Bruckheimer had indicated he’d been unable to secure so much as a cameo for Depp in a future Pirates movie.

Of course, nothing will be official until we hear it from Disney. A new Pirates of the Caribbean movie being officially confirmed will be big news, and the inclusion, or lack thereof, of Johnny Depp will be a big part of the ensuing conversation.

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been one of the few live-action brands that Disney has seen success with outside of Marvel and Star Wars. However, following a fairly successful fifth outing, the film series has been in a holding pattern. Disney still insists that a new Pirates of the Caribbean is coming, but we have no idea when, or which characters will return. We’re still not expecting Johnny Depp to return, but could we see Orlando Bloom again?

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has repeatedly stated his hope that Johnny Depp will return for the next PotC movie, despite Disney’s statements that the franchise was moving on without him. While the passage of time makes a Depp return more plausible, EW recently asked another franchise star Orlando Bloom if we would be interested in returning for the next film. He left the door open, admitting he had fun the first time around, and so he’s at least open to the possibility. Bloom said…

After not appearing in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Bloom appeared in a small role in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. His return, and a literal one-shot cameo by Kiera Knightley, allowed the franchise to put a button on their relationship and the franchise’s major outstanding plot point.

While Bloom admits to having fun making the Pirates films, Kiera Knightley has made recent comments that making the movies were tougher for her, indicating she has zero desire to return to the franchise. Bloom appreciates his time in the movies but understands that Knightley did not, saying…

At this point, a return of Orlando Bloom to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is as possible as anything else. There have been multiple movie projects in development for the series, including one that would have starred Margot Robbie, that movie is not the one currently in development, but Bruckheimer has said that making the movie in the future is still on the table.

Bruckheimer has also indicated that a return of Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow is also a possibility. The more time passes, the more likely it is that Disney could change its mind on not including him in the next film.

If the next Pirates movie is a direct sequel to the last one or is even simply set in the same universe, then roles for Depp and/or Bloom are at least possible. The next film could also just as easily be a full franchise reboot, however. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens, whenever it happens.

Jerry Bruckheimer is responsible for some of the most popular movies ever made. From some of the best ‘80s classics, like Beverly Hills Cop and Flashdance, to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise to, oh yeah, a couple of small movies called Top Gun, the producer has made so many box office hits it’s difficult to keep track of them all.

While not every Jerry Bruckheimer movie is a hit with critics, they tend to do well at the box office. Knowing that, one might expect there’s a correlation between first audience scores and eventual box office take. That’s apparently not the case because while Bruckheimer’s highest-grossing movie to date is Top Gun: Maverick, the film that was the biggest hit with test audiences was something very different.

Young Woman And The Sea Outperformed All Of Jerry Bruckheimer’s Films At Test Screenings

Unless you’re one of the few people who actually saw The Young Woman and the Sea, Daisy Ridley's film about swimmer Gertrude Ederle, when it premiered in theaters on the 2024 movie schedule, you may not have even been aware it was there. The movie was originally planned as a Disney+ release, but after a shakeup in the schedule, the film found itself premiering in cinemas.

Bruckheimer says the reason for that may have been because the movie scored better with test audiences than any other film he’s ever produced. He told THR…

As one of the few people on earth who did see Young Woman and the Sea in theaters, I concur that the film is truly excellent. Unfortunately, in this case, a great audience score did not translate to a large audience in the theaters. The film only got a limited theatrical release and didn’t do massive business even as a proportion of its size.

It’s remarkable that one of the lowest-grossing movies of Jerry Bruckheimer’s career apparently did better with test audiences than his highest-grossing. However, we actually already knew that Top Gun: Maverick didn’t blow the world away with its test screenings.

Top Gun: Maverick Wasn’t A Massive Hit With Test Audiences

Apparently, you never can tell with test audiences. While they are supposed to help give a studio an idea of how the public will react to a film, there was no expectation that Top Gun: Maverick was going to be quite the hit it ended up being. Jerry Bruckheimer revealed back in 2022 that while Maverick’s test screenings weren’t bad, they also weren’t an indication that the movie would become the phenomenon that it did. He said…

I guess what this tells us is that test audiences maybe don’t know as much as we thought. They may know a good movie when they see one, but they can’t predict a hit.

Still, they weren’t wrong about Young Woman and the Sea. It’s a great movie, and if you have a Disney+ subscription, you should go watch it right now.

After Tom Cruise’s long-awaited Top Gun sequel became a monumental hit in 2022, it was only natural that the world would ask “When’s the next one?” Fans seem eager to see the stunt-defying star and the rest of the Maverick cast back on the big screen. We’ve heard from actors like Glen Powell, Jennifer Connelly and such about their excitement for a third Top Gun, but one franchise alum just admitted to being surprised by those early reports. He also explained what he now knows about the threequel's status.

When Greg Tarzan Davis, who played LT Javy “Coyote” Machado in Maverick, attended the Los Angeles premiere of Gladiator II, he spoke to Brandon Davis about Top Gun 3. In his words:

As the Grey's Anatomy alum shared on the carpet of Ridley Scott's legacy sequel, he and the cast had no idea there was another one in the works until the news hit the internet for the rest of us. How wild is that? In January, Deadline reported Paramount was developing the sequel with Tom Cruise, Miles Teller and Glen Powell on board and director Joseph Kosinski possibly back at the helm or serving as a producer alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and David Ellison. It was also reported that screenwriter Ehren Kruger working on a draft of the script.

It's a good thing theTop Gun: Maverick group chat remains active, so the cast members could all talk about it over message. Greg Tarzan Davis later recalled during his recent interview that he received phone calls from family members, asking "are you flying right now?" As for the group chat, Davis also joked that Glen Powell was the most "confused" by the news.

Greg Tarzan Davis is also co-starring with Tom Cruise on the upcoming Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning, so he could casually ask the actor about it while on the job. (You know, as one does.) Davis revealed that and also shared more insight into how Cruise and Jerry Bruckheimer are approaching the flick:

Considering the massive success and love Top Gun: Maverick earned from audiences over 35 years after its classic '80s counterpart, it makes sense that Tom Cruise and the other filmmakers don’t want to flippantly make a third movie without putting some thought into it. Over the summer, Jerry Bruckheimer shared that there wasn’t a script for the threequel yet and that it “will be a while.” Still, they did share their ideas with Tom Cruise, who really liked them.

Aside from Greg Tarzan Davis, other actors from Maverick have commented on the potential third movie as well. Jennifer Connelly said she’d “be there” for the next movie whereas Lewis Pullman admitted he didn’t know much about it yet. All in all, it seems that Davis and his colleagues are waiting for updates on the movie, and that remains the case for fans as well.

You can revisit both Top Gun movies by streaming them with a Paramount+ subscription. You can also catch Tom Cruise and Greg Tarzan Davis in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, which hits theaters on May 23, 2025.

Brad Pitt’s F1 movie is one of the most anticipated films of next year, and it seems like the movie star is pulling out all the stops. This means high speed race car sequences, a talented supporting cast, and surprisingly, a full press tour. Like many actors, Pitt isn’t a big fan of doing promotional press for a film, and avoids it as much as he can. However, it seems like F1 means enough to the Oscar winner to put his feelings aside to get the word out about this upcoming sports film.

This week, legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer made an appearance at Liberty Media‘s investor day in New York. Bruckheimer is one of the biggest names in Hollywood, being the producing brain behind the Top Gun films, Pirates of the Caribbean films, and Bad Boys franchise. He is also producing F1 alongside Brad Pitt, and during his investor day appearance gave attendees a promising update about Pitt’s commitment to promoting the 2025 racing film. He said (via Deadline):

If Pitt is going to throw all of his Hollywood charisma and charm behind a film, F1 is a good one. It is directed by Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski, who is known for putting epic, practical stunts on the big screen. The classic premise also seems like a crowd pleaser, as it follows Pitt as a seasoned F1 driver coming out of retirement to mentor a rookie (played by Damson Idris). The production worked closely with Formula 1 itself, filming at real-life events to capture the sport’s high-octane energy and drama. Pitt has even been photographed at real F1 events, showing the lengths the production is going through to make the movie as true-to-life as possible. The Fight Club actor even drove some F1 cars himself, showing his commitment extends beyond just a press tour.

This statement by Bruckheimer makes me curious as to how this press tour with Pitt will differ from others. He has usually participated in some of the red carpet events required to promote a film, and occasionally does a talk show appearance. But perhaps this film will see Pitt being more active on social media, trying to create viral moments to get the younger generation interested in F1. Maybe we'll even see Pitt doing more late night interviews or magazine features to boost the movie's importance.

F1 is being released in the summer, and will likely need Pitt’s clout to boost the film to the heights of summer blockbusters in the past. Pitt has starred in a successful sports drama with Moneyball, which earned the actor an Academy Award nomination for his performance. The movie has yet to be released, so who knows if F1 will reach the Oscar-worthy heights of his previous sports flick. However, if Brad Pitt is as excited about F1 as Bruckheimer suggests, the film will likely be something worth checking out next summer.

You can see Brad Pitt in F1, which is expected to hit theaters on June 25, 2025, and will also be available for AppleTV+ subscribers after the film’s theatrical release. For more information on other exciting titles heading to cinemas and streaming next year, make sure to consult our 2025 movie release schedule.

Days of Thunder had always been one of those oft-mentioned Tom Cruise movies that lingered on my radar for years before I ever actually saw it in real life. The mythos around it had me feeling like I’d seen it: Intensely private Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman met cute in real life! He got to drive race cars! She wore her naturally curly hair!

Recently, though, I was able to grab a copy of the flick – on DVD – and put it on for a watch. I was expecting a nice little sports movie with some epic chemistry between Cruise and Kidman, but as a millennial who was barely born when this movie came out, I did not have a nostalgic connection to this movie and I had some big struggles with the way it was written and executed. In fact, I had no idea why the actor would even choose it as he starts to branch out into more classic sequel roles… until now.

What It’s Like To Watch Days Of Thunder For The First Time Nearly 25 Years Later

As I noted, I watched Days of Thunder via DVD, though I have since found out you can streaming the 1990 film with a Paramount Plus subscription.

The movie kicks off with an "epic" nineties score and shots of a young hotshot race car driver played by Michael Rooker. The conceit is a car dealer is trying to get into the big leagues and he hires Robert Duvall’s Harry Hogge to help him achieve the role. Hogge first looks at Rowdy Burns (Rooker), but ultimately chooses to build a car for Tom Cruise’s Cole Trickle, a newcomer on the scene.

Watching 25 years later, if I'm being honest Days of Thunder feels dated --and not in that fun way movies like the OG Top Gun are dated. Yes, the racing in the movie is flashy, but the pacing of the film can be off-putting; it definitely feels like a movie of its era. And that extends to the soundtrack, which hops between classic rock and a very silly electronic-y score.

It's chock full of one-liners which include comments like “rubbing son is racing,” “you can build a driver like you build a car,” and “we ended up looking like a monkey fucking a football out there.” This tact recently worked for Twisters, so I’m not blaming this movie for diving into the realm of ridiculousness with some of its lines, but it was a little surprising to me the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced flick is mentioned by some as among the best action movies.

Recently, though, news broke that Paramount Picture was eyeing a sequel to Days of Thunder, and I tried to get a feel for why this might be a good thing. As it turns out, people really do seem to have fond feelings for the 1990 movie.

The Fans Have Cleared This Up For Me

So what is it? Is it the Duvall/Cruise banter? Is it the idea of Tom Cruise actually racing? Is it the feeling he inspires as a young maverick on the track? Or do we all long for the easy nostalgia of the ‘80s and '90s? I'm personally putting money on people simply wanting Tom Cruise to do more sequels.

I did some sleuthing, and whatever the reason, people have been champing at the bit, for sure, for another performance from Cruise as Cole Trickle for years, with critic Mike Ryan noting back in 2023:

Of course, he was tickled pink by the Days Of Thunder 2 news. Fans of the film have also really focused in on the late, great Tony Scott and the cinematography choices the film made:

Still, some fans seem to love it precisely because of how over-the-top it is, particularly during scenes in which Nicole Kidman's doctor character goes after the young race car driver. Or scenes in which Duvall is really going hard in the paint.

So there seems to be an appetite for another film, and it would give Tom Cruise the chance to be near an adrenaline-pumping activity like car racing again...

Some Problems With A Potential Days Of Thunder 2

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t note a lot of the magic that apparently spellbound the audience would probably not happen if Days of Thunder does return. I can’t imagine Nicole Kidman would be enthusiastic about starring in a romantic movie with her ex-husband when she could be putting together another Big Little Lies season or Season 2 of her Netflix hit The Perfect Couple.

This is easily remedied, however. In fact, Cruise did much the same with Top Gun: Maverick, a movie in which original lead Kelly McGillis was replaced by Jennifer Connelly. McGillis wasn't even asked to return.

Robert Duvall is still alive, but he’s 93 this year, and I doubt would be keen to play a pit crew boss. Rumors of health issues have persisted, though a cameo might not be out of the question. And director Tony Scott unfortunately left us in 2012. So many things would have to change if this project moves forward.

I think if we do get this movie, it’s might just be an excuse for Tom Cruise to get behind the wheel of a large automobile again. Though at 62 himself, I almost wonder if he’d flip the script to be more of the mentor that Duvall was this time? We’re still in the early stages, but at least I’m finally understanding why fans are bullish about Days of Thunder 2.

And if Top Gun: Maverick is any indication, Cruise and co. have shown a penchant for turning fun-but-not-spectacular older movies into more of an art form. We’ll have to wait and see.

Speaking of Maverick, outside of the long-running Mission: Impossible movies, Cruise had shied away from sequels. Now that Days of Thunder is coming along, is that rapidly becoming a trend? I know one thing. If I could pick any movie Cruise should do a sequel to, I’d be picking Edge of Tomorrow 2.

While Disney has tried time and again to make successful movies out of theme park attractions, there has only ever really been one success. The Pirates of the Caribbean movies have been massive box office hits, even when they’re not particularly loved by critics. The franchise has been in limbo for years following the decision to move forward without Johnny Depp but the franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer has been, and continues to be, a major supporter.

Bruckheimer has made no secret of the fact that he personally would still like to include Depp in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, even if it’s only by having Captain Jack Sparrow appear in a cameo role. The producer is only continuing to show support for the actor, and the two were recently seen together.

Jerry Bruckheimer And Johnny Depp Reunited At Depp’s Art Exhibition

A new exhibit of Johnny Depp’s art recently went on display in New York City and when the exhibition opened Jerry Bruckheimer and his wife were in attendance. Just Jared has a picture of the pair together, likely for the first time in several years.

It’s not surprising to see the pair together as Bruckheimer has remained steadfast in his support for Depp. The two are clearly friends, and Bruckheimer has been the strongest voice in favor of seeing Captain Jack Sparrow turn to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. While the major producer is in favor of it, most signs have pointed to it not happening, though the exact state of the franchise today is unclear.

What’s Going On With The Pirates Of The Caribbean Franchise

While Disney has repeatedly indicated that there is a future for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, what that future looks like, other than it not including Johnny Depp is unknown. At one point there were two different PotC scripts in development. One project that would have included Margot Robbie has been shelved, though Bruckheimer says that idea could still see the light of day down the road.

The most recent rumor indicated that Austin Butler was being eyed for a role in the new film, but so far that has remained unsubstantiated. The recent D23 event from Disney went by without any mention of a new Pirates film, so at this point, it seems the film isn’t coming in the short term.

Several upcoming movies based on Disney Parks attractions are still planned, though none of them seem to be any closer than the next Pirates sequel to actually happening.

The more time passes, the more possible a Johnny Depp return to the Pirates of the Caribbean becomes. Of course, that assumes that a new movie does happen at all. Considering the franchise's popularity it seems certain that movie will come eventually but what it looks like when it gets here is anybody's guess.

Hollywood producers don’t generally become household names on par with that of leading actors, but producer Jerry Bruckheimer has managed to accomplish just that. He’s helped bring to life some of the biggest blockbusters of our day, many of which spawned franchises that are still going strong decades later. His latest film, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F just arrived for Netflix subscribers, and given Bruckheimer’s track record, it will come as no surprise that critics are calling it a hit. Earlier this summer, he also continued to revive the Bad Boys franchise with Bad Boys: Ride Or Die, and of course, he earned an Oscar nomination for Top Gun: Maverick last year. One would assume that this trend of successful reboots shows no signs of slowing down, so what’s next? He recently got real regarding the titles fans keep bugging him about, and the way he described one of them came as a surprise.

When I spoke with Jerry Bruckheimer during the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F press junket, I asked which other franchise people have been pressuring him to revisit. As I should have expected, he didn’t have a singular answer, and ended up dropping three names:

There are not a lot of shockers in this answer. There have been tons of rumors surrounding the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, from Johnny Depp returning as Jack Sparrow to Austin Butler replacing him as lead. At this point, we can’t even get a clear answer as to how many upcoming films are in development, so we’re very much in Pirates limbo. As for Top Gun, it seems like everyone involved is still basking in the spoils from the success of Maverick, so we shouldn’t be in too much of a hurry (though fans were certainly excited this week to see Tom Cruise with Glenn Powell at the Twisters premiere).

The only real surprise to me is that Jerry Bruckheimer implied National Treasure and National Treasure: Book Of Secrets are kid’s movies. I suppose I haven’t paid the first two films much attention since I was a kid myself, so maybe if I gave them a rewatch I would see why they appeal to a younger audience. Maybe this is why the ill-fated Disney+ show, National Treasure: The Edge of History, leaned further in that Hardy Boys-esque direction.

I prodded Bruckheimer to comment on the Nicolas Cage-led franchise, but he was just saying in March that he wants to make the threequel. Much like with Pirates Of The Carribean, however, we can’t get a clear story. While Bruckheimer is teasing Nicolas Cage’s return, the Ben Gates actor himself has said “probably not” regarding his own involvement. Only time will tell, and we will keep you updated.

In the meantime, however, you can see the latest Jerry Bruckheimer production, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F on Netflix right now. Our full interviews from the film are a good indication of how fun it is, and Eric Eisenberg's review of the fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie seconds that notion. As for all other news regarding 2024’s upcoming movie release, keep it right here at CinemaBlend.

After decades of waiting for a sequel to Top Gun it was finally made, and it became one of the biggest box office hits ever. It wasn’t exactly a shock when it was announced that development on Top Gun 3 was already underway. One can imagine that Paramount doesn't want to wait decades for another hit with that franchise. However, while Top Gun 3 may not take quite as long to produce as Top Gun: Maverick, we shouldn’t expect to see it anytime soon.

Jerry Bruckheimer is a very busy producer right now. His films Young Woman and the Sea and Bad Boys: Ride or Die both released in the last few weeks, and another long-awaited sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is set to hit Netflix in a couple of weeks. At some point down the line, there will also be Top Gun 3, but when asked by Deadline for an update Bruckheimer said that as of right now the project is still looking at ideas, so that movie is still in the distant future. He explained…

Top Gun 3 has a screenwriter. Ehren Kruger, who co-wrote Maverick has been tapped to handle writing the next movie, but he hasn’t done so yet. It sounds like the movie is very much in the “idea” phase as Bruckheimer says they’re talking ideas with Tom Cruise, but the producer doesn’t say they have an idea for Top Gun 3 yet, so it sounds like they’re still trying to figure out what the movie will be before it gets to the point where it can be written.

On the one hand, it’s great that they are actively talking about ideas for the next Top Gun. On the other hand, it should be pointed out that this was the state that Top Gun 2 was in for decades. Tom Cruise always said he was interested in a sequel, and we would occasionally hear that the movie was being worked on, but it took a very long time to find something that Cruise was happy with.

While everybody involved clearly wants to make Top Gun 3, Tom Cruise seems more than willing to simply not do so rather than make something he’s not happy with. And considering the massive box office success of Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise clearly knows what he’s doing.

Clearly, everybody wants to make Top Gun 3. Even Jennifer Connelly is ready to return. But everybody also knows a lot is riding on another movie, so they’re going to take their time with it. Fans may have to wait a while to see Maverick again but they waited decades before, and it was worth it.

Johnny Depp has had a long and wildly successful career as a character actor, including a number of beloved titles. Chief among them is Pirates of the Caribbean, where he starred in all five Pirates movies. There are a few future movies in development right now, but it doesn't seem like the Edward Scissorhands actor is going to be included. And producer Jerry Bruckheimer offered hope about Johnny Depp returning as Jack Sparrow. 

Ever since Depp's defamation verdict was revealed, the actor has been laying low and staying out of the Hollywood lifestyle. It was revealed that Disney was moving on with Pirates without the actor, which got a strong reaction from fans, although fans have petitioned to see Depp return as Jack Sparrow. When speaking with ET, Bruckheimer seemed to offer hope for fans who want to see the Finding Neverland actor back as everyone's favorite drunken pirate. In his words: 

There you have it. It sounds like Jerry Bruckheimer has nothing but positive things to say about Johnny Depp, despite any personal issues that he's had over the years. Indeed, he's mostly become synonymous with his relationship with Amber Heard in recent years. But we'll have to see if Disney decides to bring back Jack Sparrow, or if the studio continues to distance itself from the 60 year-old actor.

Despite there being two Pirates movies being developed, it's hard to imagine the franchise (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) without protagonist Jack Sparrow. So the pressure will be on if/when those two movies finally make its way to theaters. 

While Bruckheimer likes Johnny Depp as a person and as a collaborator, it's unclear if/when the actor might return to mainstream Hollywood projects. After the defamation trial ended, he has been living in Europe and getting some much-needed privacy. He's been dipping his toe back into the professional world, but not with any major film studios like Disney.

Instead, he's been working on unique projects. His first post-trial movie Jeanne du Barry is a french film that's only recently gotten released in the states. He's also gotten behind the camera, directing an upcoming movie whose cast includes greats like Robert de Niro. Still, his fans are hoping to see him back in some mainstream Hollywood projects, such as a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

It's currently unclear if/when the two developing Pirates movies will actually arrive in theaters. Hopefully we get more information sooner rather than later. In the meantime, check the 2024 movie release dates. 

Over a very successful career, Bruce Willis has created a lot of fans. In addition to the iconic Die Hard series, one of the greatest movie franchises of all time, Willis was part of some major blockbuster films, including the Michael Bay disaster movie Armageddon. While the over-the-top sci-fi adventure is a big hit with fans, it was also apparently a great movie to be working on behind the scenes, thanks to a very generous Bruce Willis.

Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced Armageddon, recently spoke with People about the film and its star Bruce Willis. He says that the crew on the film had put together drawings that would allow winners to take home some extra money, and apparently, Willis was quite generous in his donations to the cause, which helped a few people put a bit more money in their pockets. Bruckheimer explained… 

The more we learn about the making of Armageddon the more it sounds like it was one of the most fun film shoots ever. In addition to Bruce Willis giving money away so the crew could benefit, the actor also had plenty of his own fun. Michael Bay has said Willis tried to break into a space shuttle while filming at NASA because he just wanted to be inside the real thing.

Armageddon is in the Criterion Collection, if you were at all curious just what a cultural impact the movie had. It may have a plot so gonzo that even Ben Affleck had questions on set, but it's hard not to love it despite it being so crazy. 

Bruce Willis would have been commanding salaries in the multiple millions of dollars by the time he starred in Armageddon. The various crew members behind the camera certainly weren’t making as much. It’s truly wonderful to hear that Bruce Willis, in addition to being a movie star we love to see, was also a great person when the cameras weren’t rolling. 

It was two years ago that it was announced Bruce Willis was retiring from acting. He was dealing with an aphasia diagnosis at the time and has since been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. It’s unlikely he’ll ever be seen in public again. The Pulp Fiction cast recently reunited to celebrate the iconic film’s anniversary, and Willis’ absence was felt by those who were there. 

While Willis’ wife has said the situation has brought the family closer together, it’s clear the former headliner is fading and isn’t likely to be with us much longer. There will be millions of fans who feel the loss of Bruce Willis when that day comes. 

When it comes to Nicolas Cage’s most commercially successful movies of his career, the National Treasure movies remain on top, especially box office earnings-wise. And yet, Disney somehow never made another sequel. After Cage previously shot down hopes of National Treasure 3 ever happening, the franchise’s producer Jerry Bruckheimer is singing a different tune regarding the potential of the treasure hunting series making a comeback.

Although a Disney+ spinoff series for National Treasure with connections to the films came out a couple of years ago, the adventure franchise would most definitely need Nicolas Cage to return as Ben Gates to officially be back in action. Here’s what Jerry Bruckheimer recently said about the return of National Treasure:

Bruckheimer’s comments were made this week to MovieWeb while the producer was promoting his latest movie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. His optimism is exciting, but quite the 180 from how Cage spoke about National Treasure 3 back in 2022. The actor was asked about the franchise during a Reddit AMA, here’s what he said:

Between Bruckheimer and Cage’s comments, there are definitely two completely different stories here. Of course, they are two years apart and hey, if there’s a script almost ready to show to Cage nowadays, it seems possible the actor could be interested to return to the franchise and hunt for more American-themed lost gems!

Previously, Cage also shared that he felt that National Treasure 3 did not happen after the 2007 sequel because a couple of his other big movies around that time, like The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Ghost Rider, didn’t do well. His co-star Diane Kruger told CinemaBlend in 2022 that no one ever contacted her about National Treasure 3. Earlier this year, Justin Bartha, who starred as Riley in the two National Treasure movies, said there was a script, but director Jon Turteltaub (who helmed both movies in the franchise) “has to feel really comfortable” before diving into another one.

It anything, it sounds like there’s hope for National Treasure yet! In the meantime, you can check out both films with a Disney+ subscription and look forward to upcoming 2024 movies like the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced action flick The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, hitting theaters on April 19.

Top Gun: Maverick was a monster success in 2022. The Tom Cruise-led blockbuster did record breaking numbers at the box office, and the action film even landed a Best Picture nomination that year. It was a hit with audiences as well, and everyone seemed to love the sequel to the 1986 Tony Scott film. Plans for a Top Gun 3 seemed inevitable, and recent reports suggest that Paramount is moving forward officially with a Top Gun threequel. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer recently opened up about the film, revealing Cruise’s reaction to hearing the story idea for the film. 

The legendary film producer recently spoke to ScreenRant about the studio’s plans for Top Gun 3, and how development on the film is progressing. The good news is that plans seem to be actively in motion, with Maverick director Joe Kosinski attached to direct again. As for Cruise’s response to hearing about the story plans for Top Gun 3, according to Bruckheimer, he said:

This is admittedly a very short response, and not much to go off of. But when it comes to making a Top Gun film, Cruise’s approval is everything. It took over 30 years to get Top Gun: Maverick off the ground because the Jerry Maguire star didn’t want to proceed until the script was just right. Cruise is also a major producer on the Top Gun films, so his opinion is incredibly important for the future of the franchise. Getting him to sign off on at least the story pitch is a really great sign for a script to finally be put together. Even with this good news, it still may be a while before we see Top Gun 3 on the big screen. Bruckheimer said of the film: 

Bruckheimer is right to say that Mission: Impossible is a massive commitment for Cruise, especially in the most recent years. Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part 1 faced a number of delays due to a complex COVID production. Additionally, Mission: Impossible 8 had to stop filming due to the 2023 Actors and Writers strikes. As a result M:I 8 has also been delayed to 2025. In general, the Mission films are complicated productions with their complex action sequences, and logistics involved. With such an undertaking, Cruise pursuing a Top Gun 3 in tandem with M:I responsibilities feels almost, well, mission impossible.

However, this is great news regardless. With the main team behind Maverick back to work on Top Gun 3, and a strong Cruise-approved story in the works, Paramount seems to have all the tools for another hit on their hands. Glen Powell has expressed interest in returning to Top Gun when duty calls, and it seems like the other cast members are down for another high-flying adventure. Even if fans do have to wait for Cruise’s schedule to clear up, if Top Gun: Maverick was any indication, Top Gun 3 will be well worth the wait. 

While fans wait for Top Gun 3 to eventually hit the big screen, they can revisit Tom Cruise’s adrenaline pumping performances in 1986’s Top Gun and 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, which are both now streaming for Paramount+ subscribers. For more information on other films heading to streaming and cinemas in the future, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule. 

Nostalgia has been a powerful force in the entertainment industry for years, with a number of beloved properties returning to theaters via reboots and/or sequels. One popular IP that folks have been talking about is Pirates of the Caribbean, as two different projects were in development for that franchise. Fans have not-so-patiently been waiting for more information, while some fans have campaigned for Johnny Depp to return as Jack Sparrow. After those rumors, producer Jerry Bruckheimer got honest about the franchise's future.

Bruckheimer had his hand in the original Pirates films, which are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. Fans have not-so-patiently waiting for information about the future movies, to no avail. While Bruckheimer previously expressed interest in a Depp reunion, his most recent comments to ComicBook tell another story. In his words:

Well, there you have it. Despite Depp's years playing Captain Jack Sparrow, it seems like Disney is committed to retuning to Pirates of the Caribbean with new talent in front of the camera. But only time will tell exactly which actors get to occupy this beloved world when it finally returns to theaters.

Given his comments, perhaps Johnny Depp fans should give up hope that the next Pirates movie would include his signature role. But it's definitely hard to imagine the franchise without its star, so the pressure is on for whoever steps into his shoes. 

The new actors that Jerry Bruckheimer referenced are a mystery for the time being, with one big exception. Margot Robbie was attached to star in one of the two developing Pirates of the Caribbean movies, although it seems like the development process might have hit a snag. There's been no updates from the House of Mouse, and Robbie's schedule is presumably quite busy. So perhaps booking a new star won't be as easy as Bruckheimer let on.

The news that Depp's Jack Sparrow wasn't returning to the Pirates of the Caribbean came following his explosive defamation trial opposite ex Amber Heard. While he was largely the victor in court, he hasn't signed on to any major Hollywood projects since. And it's unclear if Disney would be interested in continuing their former working relationship with the 60 year-old actor.

Right now it's a mystery as to exactly when the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will make its return to theaters. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates. 

Much of the moviegoing world watched with astonishment in 2022 when Tom Cruise reprised his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick. Cruise and his collaborators, including veteran producer Jerry Bruckheimer, took great care in ensuring the beloved character’s return was worth the wait. Bruckheimer will revive yet another iconic franchise in 2024 with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley. The long-awaited sequel in the Eddie Murphy-led film series has a lot riding on it, and fans surely have high expectations. What some may be comforted to hear, though, is that there’s one key element that the movie has in common with Maverick, according to Bruckheimer. 

There’s a lot to love about Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun sequel. The performances are electric, the production design is ambitious and the aerial-related action is nothing short of incredible. But there’s another important aspect of the motion picture that resonates with audiences, and Jerry Bruckheimer pointed it out while previewing the latest Beverly Hills Cop movie. The 80-year-old producer teased that the action-comedy will have its share of thrills. However, like the aviator flick, there’s a true level of sentimentality that’ll be at play as well: 

The filmmaker brought up a very astute point while discussing his latest film with Empire Magazine. All of the stunts and special effects don’t amount to anything unless there’s true emotion driving the narrative for which they’re utilized. Jerry Bruckheimer would know this better than anyone. Over the years, he’s produced films like Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Bad Boys for Life and the aforementioned Top Gun: Maverick, which feature plenty of bombastic sequences but also have moments of genuine emotion. As a fan, I’m glad to hear he’s taking that same approach with the Eddie Murphy-fronted sequel.

After years of sitting in development hell, movement on a fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie truly began around the late 2010s, with Bad Boys for Life’s Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah attached to direct. By 2019, it was announced that Netflix had reached an agreement with Paramount Pictures to release the film. Arbi and Fallah eventually exited the production in a behind-the-scenes shakeup and, by 2022, it was confirmed that Australian filmmaker Mark Malloy had been tapped to secede them. Earlier this year, Eddie Murphy explained that he was convinced to do the film after Jerry Bruckheimer officially returned to his post as the franchise’s producer. Murphy said that “started to come together” after Bruckheimer jumped into the mix. 

Thanks to Empire, we now know a bit more about Beverly Hills Cop 4, in regard to its plot. The movie will see Axel returning to California after being pulled into a case by his estranged daughter, Jane, who’s a criminal defense attorney. In the process, Foley gets paired up with Det. Bobby Abbott (Jane’s former boyfriend) to crack the case. Axel Foley has a talented cast, which aside from Eddie Murphy, includes franchise newcomers Taylour Paige, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Kevin Bacon. Series veterans Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot are also along for the ride this time.

Something tells me we’re in for a reconciliation story of sorts between Axel and Jane, and that could very well be where the heart of the movie lies. Top Gun: Maverick told such a tale using Maverick and Rooster, the son of his late wingman, Goose, and it worked well. Hopefully, if that is what Jerry Bruckheimer and co. are going for with BHC4, it’ll be as effective as it was in Maverick.

An official release date for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley has yet to be announced, but be sure you have a Netflix subscription so you’ll be able to stream it whenever it hits the 2024 movie schedule. You can also stream the first three movies alongside Top Gun: Maverick using a Paramount+ subscription.

Among Disney’s long history of inspirational sports movies, one of the best, if not the all-time best, has to be Remember the Titans. The story of a high school sports team stars Denzel Washington as coach Herman Boone. Boone is portrayed as a very no-nonsense sort of coach, somebody who may have a heart of gold, but is tough as nails on the outside, and this is something that Denzel apparently learned firsthand.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer was the one who reportedly suggested that Denzel Washington actually meet the man he would be playing in Remember the Titans. Washington told the Tampa Bay Times that he was hesitant to take the role, having just played Hurricane Carter in The Hurricane. In the end, Washington ultimately liked the script and so he took on the role. But playing Herman Boone could not have been tougher than meeting him. As Washington describes the meeting as “prickly.” Among other points of contention, Boone apparently didn’t think Denzel Washington was good-looking enough. The actor explained… 

One can only imagine what a meeting between Denzel and Boone would have been like when Boone was at his peak toughness. If “you’re not handsome enough to play me” is what a mellow guy says, one can only imagine what the outcome would have been like otherwise.

And yet, Washington says that meeting Boone was one of the reasons he decided to take the role. It became one of Denzel Washington's most iconic roles, to be sure. Maybe he felt playing such a person was a challenge. Or maybe, underneath the tough exterior, the actor says something that he could portray that works on the screen to make the man endearing to an audience. 

There certainly must have been something, as it’s clear that despite the tough introduction Denzel Washington holds Boone in high regard. He doesn’t appear to dislike the man or have a negative feeling about their meeting.

The Remember the Titans cast goes far beyond Denzel when it comes to perfect casting. It even includes an early Ryan Gosling role. But for many Denzel is Coach Boone, even if the real guy didn't think he was the right choice. 

It has been a few years since the last Pirates of the Caribbean sailed into theaters, pushing on without mainstay staples Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom but expanding its cast to surround Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow with new co-stars for wild adventures. There has been rampant speculation about a fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and even a possible spinoff from the main franchise to reboot stories with Margot Robbie in the lead (somehow). You can watch all of the previous Pirates movies with your Disney+ subscription, and be sure that all of the previous films – as well as any potential ones in the Disney production pipeline – were met with this one note from the studio, “Make this shorter.” 

Director Gore Verbinski poured his heart, soul, and imagination into his Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, but the first movie didn’t start out as a short. Even though Verbinski and his team were pulling inspiration from a theme park ride, the initial Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl clocked in at two hours and 23 minutes. Hefty, and they only got longer from there. The fourth movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, did reduce its run to two hours and 16 minutes, and that’s because of the note producer Jerry Bruckheimer received on all of the films. Bruckheimer told The Hollywood Reporter:

This brings to mind the famous Roger Ebert quote about a movie and its length. The legendary film critic once wisely stated:

And that’s kind of the case with the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. They didn’t tend to overstay their welcome, and left plenty of room for spectacular set pieces, grand overacting, scenery chewing, and treasure-hunting storylines. Unless your movie has proper time to breathe, you can’t build toward a breath-taking stunt sequence like this unforgettable duel from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

Think back to last year, when the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced Top Gun: Maverick dominated box office and packed movie theaters. What are the odds that moviegoers returning to auditoriums to see that movie again and again wanted it to be shorter? If Bruckheimer accepted the note to shorten the film, maybe it’s the beach football scene that gets left on the cutting room floor, or the sequence where Maverick (Tom Cruise) runs the practice sequence himself to show the recruits it can be done. These are iconic, and they help make the movie what it was meant to be. So leave it alone, Hollywood. If it’s long, and it earns it, we’ll sit and watch!

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has made billions of dollars for Disney, but it’s been nearly six years since the last film in the franchise was released and no new sequel has begun production. But we do know that one movie is being worked on, and Jerry Bruckheimer talked a bit about the upcoming film, and whether or not Johnny Depp might return to the franchise after all. 

Appearing on the red carpet prior to the Academy Awards, where his film Top Gun: Maverick was in contention for some major awards. ET asked Bruckheimer about the future of Pirates of the Caribbean and the producer revealed that he believes the script for the movie is very nearly finished, saying…

Originally, there were at least two different scripts for two different Pirates of the Caribbean movies in development. One was being worked on by Christina Hodson and would have starred Margot Robbie in the lead, the second project was being handled by Ted Elliot and Craig Mazin. We learned recently that the Robbie project is no longer in active development. We may still see it someday, but it’s apparently the other script that is currently being polished.

One big question about the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie was whether it would be a complete franchise reboot or would act as a sequel... or at least take place in the same universe as the other films. Bruckheimer seemingly confirmed that the later situation is the case, as it seems that the return of Johnny Depp is at least possible. Bruckheimer, who has made no secret of his desire to bring Depp back, reiterated that belief, and he certainly didn’t shut the door on the possibility. He continued...

This is a pretty significant change of tone, considering that previously we’d been told that Depp was done with the franchise, and while Bruckheimer admitted to trying to get him back, it seemed that simply wasn’t going to happen. Now, it sounds like that door is at least open a crack. Check out his full comments below.

For Depp’s part, he has talked about what the character of Jack Sparrow means to him, while also indicating it would take quite a lot to get him to return as Captain Jack Sparrow. Depp’s recent legal issues have made him a potentially sensitive topic, but with the recent defamation case found in his favor, it’s possible that opinion could be changing.

Tom Cruise is one of the hardest working actors in show business, which is a statement that’s only more fitting in the present. Already securing 2023’s new movie release Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, the action master is hard at work on the second half of that story in Mission: Impossible 8. However, that doesn’t mean Cruise was too busy to pop into the 95th Annual Oscars Nominee Luncheon, and his appearance came with some very familiar faces.

How Tom Cruise Enjoyed His First Event Of The Year

While the Top Gun: Maverick actor isn’t in competition for Best Actor, Tom Cruise is a 2023 Oscar nominee as one of the film’s producers. Some may not have expected him to show up to the annual soiree held for the nominees but, sure enough, Cruise was present at the function, which according to Variety, saw the “largest turnout of nominees” for the event. As you can see in the above photo, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, co-writer Christopher McQuarrie, director Joesph Kosinski, and editor Eddie Hamilton were all on hand to represent team Maverick, along with the man himself. 

The Mission: Impossible frontman’s appearance  also led to quite a few moments from the event itself, like when Steven Spielberg claimed Tom Cruise saved Hollywood’s ass. This was also the same venue where Best Supporting Actor nominee Ke Huy Quan’s wonderful selfie with Cruise was taken, which is another prime moment from this year’s Oscar season.

It’s not exactly work for the Risky Business icon to charm people like this, so it must have felt like a mini-vacation to be suited and booted to impress. The real work is taking place in another country, where Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two has been petitioning for some interesting locales to be featured in what could be Ethan Hunt’s last mission.

What’s The Latest On Mission: Impossible 8's Filming?

Production on the eighth Mission: Impossible movie is looking to film in the remote region of Svalbard, according to ExplorersWeb. Due to ecological concerns that have led to restrictive legislation, access to this area of Norway is pretty hard to come by, especially when it comes to using aircrafts. It’s also worth noting that polar bears are definitely a concern in this area, which might be part of what’s enticing the leading man and his team to plan a Dead Reckoning Part Two scene at that location.

It wouldn’t be weird to hear that Tom Cruise wants to run with the bears on his next mission. The man’s already done everything from swinging around the Burj Khalifa tower in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol to his most recent death-defying stunt of riding a motorcycle off a cliff and jumping from it in mid air. Although, if Cruise can charm a room full of Oscar nominees, how different could negotiating polar bears really be?

There’s one place you’ll want to be if you enjoy binging the finest Tom Cruise movies, especially if you’re a Mission: Impossible and Top Gun fan. With a Paramount+ subscription, there are several films from both of those properties ready to fill that need. And don’t forget, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One drops on July 14th, only in theaters.

Top Gun was the highest grossing movie of 1986. Decades later, Top Gun: Maverick ended 2022 as the highest grossing movie of the year as well. Both movies were massive hits, despite coming out decades apart, so the obvious question becomes: Will there be a Top Gun 3? And if so, how long will we have to wait for it? Franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer is certainly up for talking trilogy, but that assumes Tom Cruise doesn’t die. 

If Top Gun were any other franchise we could be certain a third movie would have been announced by now and given a release date three years in the future. But Top Gun is not just any franchise. Art the end of the day, whether Top Gun 3 happens will come down toTom Cruise, and as Bruckheimer tells The Wrap, there won’t be any discussions until sometime after Cruise is done defying death while making Mission: Impossible movies. The producer said… 

Top Gum: Maverick was a movie completed prior to the pandemic that just saw its release date continuously delayed while waiting for a time to release it theaters. To be sure, that was the right move for Paramount, considering the movie made nearly $1.5 billion at the global box office.

Since the pandemic, Tom Cruise has been hard at work making two Mission: Impossible movies back to back, a task that has taken a lot longer than initially anticipated specifically due to the slower pace of production during the pandemic. Both movies would have been released by now if things had gone as planned, but now we’re waiting for the first one to come out later this year, and part two is still in active production right now.

As such, serious discussions about Top Gun 3 will simply have to wait. However, what Jerry Bruckheimer does seem to make clear is that those conversations will absolutely be happening. He admits that at least considering a third film makes all the sense in the world, and it sounds like if bthe next one has to wait a while like Top Gun: Maverick did, that’s ok with him. Bruckheimer continues…

At this point, even a best case scenario for Top Gun 3 would probably put the movie four or five years away. Of course, that’s a pretty quick turnaround considering how long it took to get Top Gun: Maverick to get made. And if there’s anything fans have shown, it’s that they’re willing to wait.

After nearly 48 years in the business, Jerry Bruckheimer finally got his first Oscar nomination. With over 100 producing credits to his name between movies and TV shows, the producer was ecstatic to be on the list of 2023’s Academy Award nominees. However, he also spoke to the snubs the movie received, specifically Tom Cruise being left out of the Best Actor race. 

All in all, Top Gun: Maverick received six nominations including visual effects, sound, original song, film editing, adapted screenplay and Best Picture. It’s the Best Picture nomination that made Bruckheimer an Oscar nominee, because he produced the film, and he explained how excited he was to THR, saying: 

While this is the first Oscar Bruckheimer has been nominated for, he’s no stranger to awards shows. In the world of TV, he’s been nominated for 22 Emmys and won ten for being a producer on The Amazing Race. 

However, in the world of film honestly a bit shocking that this is his first nomination from the Academy, considering he’s behind successful movies like Armageddon, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and the National Treasure films. While these aren’t necessarily what we’d consider Academy movies, the producer has put in a lot of work on a ton of widely known and loved projects, which is why it’s so surprising his first nomination came over five decades into his career. Although I must admit, it’s pretty dang cool that his first nod is for an amazing movie like Maverick. 

Top Gun: Maverick has been a Best Picture contender since the beginning of the race, and to see it get recognized by The Academy is extremely exciting. Not only was it critically successful, the film also made loads of money at the box office, and helped bring people back to the movie theaters. Bruckheimer discussed the legacy sequel’s impact on audiences and now the Oscars, saying:

Audiences and The Academy certainly did respond to Top Gun: Maverick. While the film did get several nominations for its groundbreaking technical work, Joseph Kosinski and Tom Cruise were notably left out. Out of all this year’s Oscars snubs, leaving Cruise out of Best Actor and Kosinski out of Best Director was one of the massive shocks from the nominations. Bruckheimer commented on this topic, and the two men leading the film not getting recognized, saying: 

The actor behind Maverick 100% willed this movie into existence, and had the patience to wait and make a near-perfect sequel. It’s shocking he was not recognized for his performance in Maverick as the titular character. One of the movie’s stars Glen Powell explained that Cruise deserved a nomination because of his layered performance as well as for wearing so many hats during the production including actor, coach and producer. 

While I think he’s right, and the snubs are a bummer, Top Gun: Maverick still has a lot to celebrate. Between Bruckheimer’s first nomination and the five other awards the sequel is up for, it will be well-represented at the Academy Awards this year. 

To see if Top Gun: Maverick flies to victory, be sure to tune into the Oscars on March 12 on ABC at 8 p.m. ET. While we wait for the ceremony you can watch the high-flying action movie with a Paramount+ subscription. 

It took over three decades to finally make a sequel to Top Gun, but considering just how insanely popular and successful Top Gun: Maverick has been, it is literally impossible that there are not people at the studio level eyeing the possibility of a Top Gun 3. But we’ve heard little about what the possibilities of such a film might actually be. The reason, it turns out, makes some sense. As Jerry Bruckheimer points out, Tom Cruise is a little busy right now.

If any other movie made over a billion dollars the question of whether or not there would be a sequel would almost certainly be a question of if, not when. Although when it comes to a potential Top Gun 3, that hasn’t really been the case. The reason for that, as franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer recently pointed out to Variety, is that whether or not there is more Top Gun is largely up to Tom Cruise. And he’s been a bit busy recently making a different massive action franchise, Bruckheimer said… 

We knew that Tom Cruise’s next Mission: Impossible production was going to be a massive endeavor, as he was set to film two movies back-to-back. Of course that experience became even more extensive thanks to the global pandemic. Mission: Impossible 7 became one of the first major productions impacted by what became a global shutdown. It was set to begin filming in Italy when the country became the second one in the world to go into lockdown.

Between filming delays due to the shutdown, delays due to new regulations, and the movie’s own covid related delays, the movie now known as Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning- Part I, took months to complete, and now Cruise is hard at work on the sequel. And Bruckheimer is probably right about not wanting to distract him. When Cruise is riding motorcycles off cliffs or hanging on to airplanes in midair, it’s best to not distract him. 

Of course, sometime after the actor finishes making the two Mission: Impossible movies, Cruise is set to film a movie in actual outer space, so the fact is that even if Tom Cruise is interested in making a third Top Gun it’s a safe bet it will still be a few years before he gets around to it. The good news is that the evidence we have is that waiting a while won’t cause fans to lose interest, so while I’m sure Paramount would love to green light Top Gun 3 sooner rather than later, I’m sure they’ll wait.

After a break of 36 years, Tom Cruise’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell suited up once again and took to the skies in arguably one of the most exciting and successful 2022 movies with Top Gun: Maverick. The movie, a success at the box office as well as a major hit with critics, got everyone thinking about the future of the franchise, specifically when, or if, we will see Top Gun 3.

Following the film’s successful rollout, Top Gun: Maverick producers and stars have understandably been asked about the future of the franchise and what they think would need to happen in order for Maverick to suit up at least one more time. And while there's been no official word or reports about a planned sequel to Top Gun: Maverick, with the movie breaking even more records upon its streaming debut, now seems like the perfect time to see what the likes of Jerry Bruckheimer, Joseph Kosinski, and others have to say about the possibility of another movie at some point in the future...

Joseph Kosinski Thinks There Needs To Be A ‘Compelling’ Reason To Go Back

With Top Gun: Maverick pulling in nearly $1.5 billion in ticket receipts worldwide, according to BoxOfficeMojo, one would think Paramount Pictures, Tom Cruise, and director Joseph Kosinski would be eager to make the most of the success and quickly greenlight Top Gun 3. That, however, has not been the case more than six months after its release, and no one involved with the franchise has given a definitive answer as to whether or not the project will take flight. 

During Deadline’s Contenders LA3C panel in December 2022, Kosinski spoke about the 2022 movie, its success, and some of those incredible, white-knuckled stunts before touching on the future of the franchise with an open-ended comment:

Although Maverick has “gas left in the tank,” as Kosinski put it, convincing Cruise to sign on for another Top Gun project could prove to be a difficult task. In an earlier interview with Polygon, the director revealed Cruise initially didn’t want to make a Top Gun sequel, though he came around after he heard the pitch for Maverick.

Jerry Bruckheimer Doesn’t Know What The Future Will Bring In Regards To Top Gun 3

Jerry Bruckheimer has had a major behind-the-scenes role with the Top Gun franchise since its beginnings nearly 40 years ago, and was right there with Tom Cruise in getting the 2022 sequel off the ground. But not even the legendary Hollywood producer, who has launched massive blockbusters and kickstarted the careers of countless A-listers, knows what’s in store for Top Gun 3, as he revealed during a lengthy August 2022 interview with RadioTimes.com, stating:

Hopefully Bruckheimer’s comments don’t mean fans will have to wait three more decades to see Tom Cruise once again portray Maverick in Top Gun 3, but considering the dangerous stunts the actor continues to pull off for movies like Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, he would probably be up to the task.

Miles Teller Says He's Discussed Top Gun 3 With Tom Cruise

Miles Teller commented on his legendary co-star Tom Cruise's love of making movies as well as his admiration for the all-time great. From the sound of it, the two have stayed in touch since the completion of production several years ago -- or at the very least, it sounds like Miles Teller has brought up the subject of Top Gun 3. When speaking with ET Online at the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament in July 2022, Teller opened up about those discussions:

Although Teller didn’t shed too much light on what he and Cruise discussed during those “conversations,” the actor did talk about a pitch he had for the franchise when sitting down with ScreenRant in May 2022, saying he was “trying to get a Top Gun: Rooster.”

Glen Powell’s Thoughts On What Would Need To Happen For Top Gun 3 To Work

Glen Powell became a big star in 2022 thanks in part to his scene-stealing portrayal of Jake "Hangman" Seresin, a brash, cocky, yet incredibly skilled pilot in Top Gun: Maverick. If a Top Gun 3 is to happen, it would surely involve his character, but the Devotion star did have some parameters that he thinks would need to be met when speaking with IndieWire in May 2022: 

This quote echoes comments Powell made earlier in the conversation where he explained “there’s no reason in just adding another movie” if it “doesn’t contribute or beat the original.” No pressure, right?

What Lewis Pullman Had To Say On The Subject Of A Potential Top Gun 3

Lewis Pullman follows in the footsteps of his father, Bill Pullman, 26 years after the latter gave his iconic Independence Day speech before strapping in a jet and taking on alien invaders. And while Pullman sounds like he would be down to revisit the role of Robert “Bob” Floyd, he told ComicBook.com in November 2022 that he was trying not to get his hopes up too much:

Pullman’s cautious optimism is something that each of us could share as we think about the idea of Top Gun 3, though it doesn’t mean none of us want to see Tom Cruise return to one of his most beloved characters at least one more time.

Only time will tell when, or if, the world will get to see Top Gun 3, but for now we can at least watch Top Gun: Maverick streaming with a Paramount+ subscription.

Stream Top Gun: Maverick on Paramount+.

Walt Disney Studios has a number of viable film franchises under its umbrella, but few can measure up to the success of Pirates of the Caribbean. The action/adventure IP has been incredibly lucrative over the years, thanks in part to the guidance of folks like producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Of course, the property’s big-screen winning performance was never a sure thing. In fact, Bruckheimer says he was surprised by how well it was received by audiences. The veteran producer provided his reasoning for that, and it makes sense. 

Jerry Bruckheimer has helped jumpstart more than a few blockbusters in his time. The 79-year-old producer has had a hand in the conceptions of various beloved films, from Beverly Hills Cop and Top Gun to Con Air and Armageddon. The show business veteran recently partook in an interview with THR, during which he discussed various aspects of his career. Amid the chat, the revered filmmaker was asked if he’d ever been surprised by the success of any of his productions. He named two, Black Hawk Down and Pirates, explaining that the former was a risk because it was a dark story. As for the latter, he believed its theme park roots made it a major gamble: 

He definitely has a point there, considering that Disney hadn’t had much luck when it came to translating its most popular theme park attractions into feature films up to that point. One could argue that 2002’s The Country Bears has become an afterthought to the general public. And while the Eddie Murphy-led Haunted Mansion (which actually released after Pirates) made a bigger dent at the box office in 2003, it still wasn’t a smash hit. So all in all, Jerry Bruckheimer, his team and the studio as a whole were taking a leap of faith.

The famed producer actually wasn’t the only person associated with 2003’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl to be wary of its viability. Elizabeth Swann actress Keira Knightley thought it would flop because she believed pirate movies “always fail.” When you consider that those kinds of films have been (and still are) hit or miss, you can’t really disagree with the sentiment. Though in the end, that didn’t come to pass at all. 

Curse of the Black Pearl went on to gross over $600 million and, as a result, it spawned four theatrical sequels. As it stands, the franchise has amassed over $4.5 billion worldwide at the box office, and that number could grow if Jerry Bruckheimer gets his way. In the same interview, he stated that Margot Robbie’s reported film hasn’t been scrapped and mentioned that a movie featuring a younger cast is also in the works. Though Bruckheimer couldn’t say for sure whether Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow (who was nearly killed off) will appear should either project come to fruition. 

Despite that, the sky is still the limit for Pirates of the Caribbean, and Jerry Bruckheimer deserves a lot of credit for helping to make it into the phenomenon it’s become. I personally wouldn’t be shocked if another installment does get made one day. As for whether such a project can achieve the same financial success that initially surprised Bruckheimer, we can only speculate.

All five Pirates of the Caribbean movies are currently available for Disney+ subscription-holders to stream. Those looking ahead to future fare that’ll hit cinemas can check out CinemaBlend’s schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

There has been a long and storied history regarding the on-again-off-again National Treasure 3. While an all-new television series National Treasure: Edge of History (starring a new cast) is currently available to anyone with a Disney+ subscription, it’s been more than fifteen years since Nic Cage’s Benjamin Franklin Gates graced the silver screen. But, if we are to believe the franchise’s long-time producer Jerry Bruckheimer, an upcoming Disney movie starring Cage is still in the works. 

While speaking with E! Online, the heavy-weight Hollywood producer gives a major update regarding the action-adventure series. According to Bruckheimer, Disney approached him to produce the new National Treasure series, but also a movie set for cinemas and starring the long-time franchise star Nicolas Cage. According to the producer, the third film is still ongoing and in the works. This news is a significant development regarding the series, which has been in production limbo for years. The producer told E!:

A script for the third film was reportedly finished as far back as 2017 but, according to Bruckheimer and the first two movie’s director Jon Turteltaub, was held up primarily due to financing and because of apprehension on Disney’s part. 

While the National Treasure series might not be the best of Nicolas Cage’s work, it’s far from his worst. Seeing the Con Air star go ham playing a historian turned action-adventure explorer is so much fun. With the success of so many legacy sequels (Scream and the Blumhouse Halloween trilogy, for example) and the upturn in Cage’s career it seem's like a no brainer for Disney to jump back into the Cage business. All the studio needs to do is see his performance in the critically acclaimed Pig and the truly bizarre but wonderful performance as himself in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, to see it's time to bring Benjamin Franklin Gates back to the big screen. 

This isn’t the only Disney legacy property Bruckheimer has teased a return of. Recently he suggested it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility to see Johnny Depp reprise his role as Jack Sparrow in a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, despite the Edward Scissorhands actor having said it would take more than 300 million dollars and a million alpacas to get him to return to the series. Perhaps if the legendary producer has enough pull to get Johnny Depp onboard for another Pirates outing–without delivering those alpacas-then getting a third National Treasure movie off the ground shouldn't be that big of a challenge. 

Now, all we know about a potential National Treasure 3 is that it isn’t dead, which is good news. For now, long-time fans of the beloved Treasure franchise will have to settle for watching the Bruckheimer-produced series National Treasure: Edge of History on Disney+. While critics’ review’s on the series have been somewhat mixed, I still think there’s enough charm in the series to hold audiences over until the next Cage-led movie hits the new movie releases schedule. We will be sure to update you if there is any news regarding the Disney adventure series. 

The news surrounding the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been a rollercoaster, especially when it comes to Margot Robbie’s spin-off Pirates film. The actress recently commented on her potential film within the franchise, saying she figured it just wasn’t moving forward. However, long-time Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer is offering an update about the future of the movie. 

Bruckheimer discussed the future of the Pirates franchise with THR, commenting on the fact that Pirates 6 has been in development for a long time, but has not been abandoned. 

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is the movie Bruckheimer noted as the one that’s further along. Meanwhile, Robbie’s spin-off movie needs more work, but is not scrapped. So, hopefully, we'll get to see both films in the coming years. 

In November, Robbie commented on the future of the project, saying:

When asked directly about Robbie thinking the film was scrapped, Bruckheimer noted that to him the film is still happening. He told THR: 

While the movie may be in development and could happen, Robbie is a busy lady, so I’d assume it’ll be quite a while before she can take on another massive project. On the 2022 movie schedule alone, she starred in two big movies, Babylon and Amsterdam. As for the 2023 movie schedule, not only does she have the highly anticipated Barbie movie coming up, she’s also starring in Wes Anderson’s latest film Asteroid City. 

Hopefully, the movie will get made, because seeing Robbie as a swashbuckling pirate would be so fun. Also, based on both the actress and Bruckheimer noting it’s a promising project, I’d assume once it gets made it’ll be a super fun movie to add to the Pirates franchise. 

As we wait to see what happens with Robbie’s long-awaited Pirates spin-off, you can watch all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies with a Disney+ subscription, plus you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see Robbie in big exciting films in the upcoming year. 

Top Gun: Maverick was one of the most highly anticipated sequels we’ve seen in years. A follow-up to the movie that made Tom Cruise a star, and a story that fans, and Cruise himself had wanted to see for decades. It’s clear now just how much fans wanted a new Top Gun as the movie has made almost a billion and half dollars and is the highest grossing film of the year, but producer Jerry Bruckheimer admits the film's smash success wasn’t always so clear. 

Speaking with THR, Jerry Bruckheimer talked about the test screenings for Top Gun: Maverick which he says were solid, but not through the rough, mostly due to the younger audience that was less familiar with the original movie. However, once the movie was in threaters the producer says he had an experience in Kentucky that showed him just how big the movie was going to be. He explained…

While one person seeing the film 25 times certainly isn’t going to have a massive impact on the box office, except maybe in that town, it’s a pretty safe bet that if a company is Kentucky is having a contest to see who can watch the movie the most, the rest of the country, and probably the world, is reacting to the movie in similar ways. 

There clearly was a belief that Top Gun: Maverick had a chance at being a big hit. The movie was held for theatrical release while other major tentpole films got sent to streaming or were released early in the post-pandemic period. Maverick waited for what was clearly the right moment, and everything paid off, though apparently even more than Jerry Bruckheimer and others thought it would. 

If Top Gun: Maverick were any other franchise you'd expect to be hearing talk about Top Gun 3 right now. While the Paramount certainly hasn't written off that possibility, it appears the plan is to wait and see if a story presents itself.

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe took over the world, one of Disney’s marquee franchises was the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Even now it’s one of the better performing series for Disney, although it’s been five years since the last entry. There have been multiple attempts to resuscitate the franchise without Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow, but producer Jerry Bruckheimer is still hoping Depp might return, saying that killing off Jack Sparrow is just not an option.  

The future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is a big question. Multiple projects have been in development for the best few years but nothing seems any closer to getting the green light. At this point the plan seems to still be to move forward without Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow, but Jerry Bruckheimer tells THR that Sparrow is a character thast seemingly can’t be killed. He said…

Bruckheimer is likely speaking somewhat metaphorically, that in trying to make a Pirates of the Caribbean movie without Johnny Depp, they were effectively killing off the character. Thus far it certainly hasn't worked, as there are a lot of fans signing petitions and otherwise trying to lobby for the return of Johnny Depp, and Captain Jack, to the franchise.

Although, it’s also possible that the producer is speaking more literally. It could be that one of the Pirates of the Caribbean projects that has been in development would have killed off Jack Sparrow. If they’ve tried to make a movie where that happened, but have not been able to come up with a satisfactory story, it could be seen that killing off Jack Sparrow isn’t working.

At last we heard the idea of even having Johnny Depp cameo in a future Pirates of the Caribbean movie was off the table. However, that was before the recent defamation case between himself and ex-wife Amber Heard was ruled in his favor. Some have wondered if that might open the door to the return of Jack Sparrow after all. Jerry Bruckheimer says that’s Disney’s call, but the producer clearly would be in favor of it. Bruckheimer said…

We’ve seen some conflicting information regarding whether or not a Pirates of the Caribbean movie starring Margot Robbie is still a possibility or not. Even if that project is dead, there is at least one other POTC idea that is still being developed. Of course, if Jack Sparrow does return, that could completely change everything about the future of this franchise.  

It seemed up to just a few months ago that a return of Johnny Depp to any upcoming movies in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise was highly doubtful. During the Edward Scissorhands actor’s highly publicized defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard, the actor’s thoughts regarding his return to the Pirates series were revealed. The actor hid giggles as a Disney production exec was questioned about the star’s alleged comments of not returning to the series for anything less than “$300 million and a million alpacas”. Well, the studio must have found those alpacas because the series’ long-time producer Jerry Bruckheimer teases a return of Captain Jack. 

In a new interview with the Associated Press Entertainment, the legendary Hollywood producer is asked point blank whether we could see a return of the fan-favorite rum-drinking Captain. Though Bruckheimer is quick to say nothing is set in stone, he does say the studio is taking baby steps towards finalizing a screenplay that would see the return of Captain Jack. He said:

The news might shock fans because the franchise has been in stasis since 2017’s Dead Men Tell No Tells, and there have been on-again-off-again rumors of a Margot Robie-helmed spinoff. Bruckheimer recently spoke candidly about the series moving on without Depp’s involvement. However, he did leave the door open for the future. It’s unclear whether the hold-up on a continuation of the main series (Pirates 6) rather than a spinoff is with the execs at Disney or Depp. Still, given the way the actor and the studio have both spoken fairly negatively about a potential Jack Sparrow return, it could be either. You can see them for yourself below,

However, Jerry Bruckheimer’s comments to AP Entertainment suggest there is real movement regarding Depp’s return to the series. I, for one, given the differing quality in the mainline franchise (see our ranking of all five films), would be very open to a Margot Robbie-produced Pirates film. Seeing how promising the Barbie first looks have been (which the actress spearheaded), I think the I, Tonya star could bring a lot to the table with the franchise. I hope Disney can find room for both high-sailing movies to exist if Depp decides to return. 

If there are any further developments on whether Disney has secured those one million alpacas for Johnny Depp’s return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, we will be the first to let you know. Until then, long-time fans can rewatch all five of Jack Sparrow’s swashbuckling adventures with a Disney+ subscription. For all other news and to plan your next theatre-going experience, check out CinemaBlend’s 2023 schedule.

It’s no secret that the Top Gun: Maverick cast and crew went to great lengths to pull off the high-flying feats within the long-awaited sequel. While we’ve learned about the crazy work they had to do in the plane, Jerry Bruckheimer and Joseph Kosinski explained the underwater training the cast also had to go through to be ready for the film, and it involved blindfolds and a cage. 

While speaking at Deadline’s The Contenders LA3C Conference, Bruckheimer described the intense water training the cast had to go through. The Top Gun: Maverick producer said: 

Tom Cruise explained in a behind-the-scenes video for Top Gun: Maverick that the Navy has training protocol for if pilots need to eject from a jet and survive in the water, which is why the cast ended up blindfolded, in a cage, underwater. 

Kosinski elaborated on the cast’s training, saying that he knew they would be able to get Tom Cruise up in the planes, since he’s spent so long doing his own intense stunts, and is a pilot. However, he wasn’t sure about the rest of the cast. The director explained: 

This intense training came into play because Cruise was insistent on shooting “everything for real,” Bruckheimer explained. The actor behind Maverick said that in the first movie all the actors threw up in the F14s, and they couldn’t use the footage. So, this time they spent months training the actors to make sure they were ready to go perform in the F18s.

You know the scenes they were filming are intense when even the Navy pilot who was flying the aircraft said he’d never shoot specific scenes ever again because they were so extreme. However, the cast has also made it clear their training really did pay off, and they were able to get up in the air and capture some seriously incredible scenes. 

In the BTS video, Glen Powell, who played Hangman, explained that this incremental training was a “gift” from Cruise, because by the time the cast got into the F18s they could “handle it.” 

Well, clearly going underwater in a cage, and the entire training program was worth it. Not only is Top Gun: Maverick the most successful movie on the 2022 movie schedule, it’s also a serious contender going into Oscar season, already picking up one prestigious award. 

If you are interested in seeing the cast’s training pay off, you’ll be able to stream Top Gun: Maverick with a Paramount+ subscription on December 22, and you can see it in theaters until December 15. 

The Pirates of the Caribbean film series has been stasis since the release of 2017’s Dead Men Tell No Tales, which earned primarily negative critical reception and only managed to gross more than Entry #1, 2003’s The Curse of the Black Pearl. Though Disney has no plans to bring Johnny Depp back into the Pirates fold (and the actor’s not interested in doing that anyway, though he will channel Jack Sparrow for the fans), the Mouse House has been exploring several ways to revive the film series, including a spinoff led by Margot Robbie. Although Robbie herself indicated last month the spinoff wasn’t moving forward, here’s good news for fans of the actress: the latest update is that it might not be completely dead after all.

In November, Margot Robbie said that it appeared that Disney wasn’t interested in taking the Pirates of the Caribbean spinoff that she’d been working on with Birds of Prey writer Christina Hodson to the next stage. However, Jerry Bruckheimer, who’s produced all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, informed Collider that there’s still a chance this project could get off the ground someday, saying:

The other story Jerry Bruckheimer is referring to is likely Pirates of the Caribbean 6, i.e. another entry in the main film series rather than a spinoff. As the producer sees it though, this isn’t one of those cases where a script has been permanently shelved. There's a possibility the day will come when Margot Robbie’s spinoff is revisited, but for now, Disney would rather focus on the other Pirates project to get this franchise ball rolling again. If/when that happens, then the studio might take another look at putting together a cinematic tale where Robbie gets to play a swashbuckler sailing the high seas.

Although Pirates of the Caribbean 6 was originally intended to be a direct follow-up to Dead Men Tell No Tales, following the latter movie’s underwhelming performance and Johnny Depp not returning as Jack Sparrow, it’s unclear what direction the movie will now take. Deadpool duo Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick were once working on the script, but they left in Pirates 6 in early 2019. Later that same year, it was announced that Craig Main and Ted Elliot were the new writers, with the latter having previously penned all of the Pirates movies except for Dead Men Tell No Tales. This past August, Jerry Bruckheimer said that he’s “excited” for Pirates 6 and thinks it will be “terrific,” so hopefully we finally get a concrete update in 2023 about where things specifically stand with the project.

Until then, you can stream all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies with your Disney+ subscription. As for Margot Robbie, she most recently starred in Amsterdam, which HBO Max subscribers will be able to stream starting December 6, and she’ll return to theaters later this month for Babylon.

Top Gun: Maverick is the highest grossing movie of the year and a great deal of the credit for the movie’s popularity is being given to the fact that the majority of it was filmed practically, with Tom Cruise and the rest of the Maverick cast up in the air. It was the same thing that the first movie did, which Tom Cruise insisted on, even though the first film got quite…messy.

Speaking at an event for Deadline, Top Gun franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer talked about the fact that Cruise didn’t want to use CGI for the sequel. There was a potential problem with that, however, as there was apparently a problem while filming the original Top Gun in the actual jets. Everybody kept throwing up. Bruckheimer explained… 

It’s perhaps not surprising that there was apparently a lot of throwing up on the set of Top Gun. People’s bodies aren't usually subjected to the forces that fighter jet pilots are and we know that even they can have difficulty adjusting to what they have to deal with. Most professional actors have likely never had to go through such things before. 

This was apparently the genesis of the idea to put the cast of Top Gun: Maverick through extensive flight training. Everybody spent months going up in the air in various types of jets in order to get some practice so that they would be able to handle filming without passing out or throwing up. It sounds like the experience was still grueling, Miles Teller ended up with actual jet fuel in his blood, but overall the training period worked. The movie was able to get all the shots it needed, by cramping cockpits full of cameras, with, one assumes, a minimum of blowing chunks.

And it certainly worked for the audience. Top Gun: Maverick has grossed over a billion dollars. It’s a vindication of the decision to hold the movie back for two years in order to let it open in theaters during a time when audiences were willing to venture out in large numbers. If the movie had come out any earlier it’s unlikely it would have been as successful, but there was a feeling that the movie needed to be seen on the big screen, and audiences were in agreement.

The movie was so successful that one wonders if a Top Gun 3 might comer along, and without waiting three decades for it. If it does, we can be certain that more flight training will be in order, if only because it keeps the set cleaner.  

Fresh off slugging it with Spider-Man: No Way Home over Labor Day weekend, Top Gun: Maverick has been riding high after crushing Titanic’s box office record. Its success has led to fans calling for a Top Gun threequel. With voices getting louder for a Maverick follow-up, Top Gun producer Jerry Bruckheimer heard the online chatter. Bruckheimer gave a brilliant throwback to 1986 when asked about a possible Tom Cruise threequel.

The Top Gun sequel was no small feat as the legendary Hollywood producer recalled the film being stuck in developmental hell for years following the tragic death of original director Tony Scott. But things came together after all the important pieces (including Tom Cruise) came through with an exciting story for new and old fans. Despite the sequel chatter, Jerry Bruckheimer was honest with Radio Times about how close (or not) moviegoers are to getting a much-talked-about threequel.

Bruckheimer is seemingly saying don’t expect Maverick and co. to return for another sequel any time soon. The second film took over three decades to get made. Of course, it did take some time to convince Tom Cruise to do the sequel. But now fans are clamoring for another film that doesn’t take three decades to make.

The Maverick frenzy has been fueled by multiple generations seeing the film multiple times. The second film’s cross-generational appeal surprised the 78-year-old Hollywood producer with Millennials and Gen Z taking to the long-overdue sequel. Jerry Bruckheimer was initially worried the movie would only appeal to an older audience. The Bad Boys II producer explained how the sequel turned from a high-flying action film to Summer 2022’s unexpected family movie.

It seemed like Maverick will become a rite-of-passage for a new generation. This will begin a new tradition amongst Millennial and Gen Z dads to show the sequel. Maybe Gen Alpha dads will keep the tradition going with their kids. Hopefully, there will be a Maverick sequel released by the time a new generation of kids can watch the second film.   

The enthusiastic response to the Top Gun sequel took Jerry Bruckheimer and the cast by surprise. Everyone involved in the blockbuster sequel didn’t realize how massive it was until the box office gross continued to grow from week to week due to multiple viewings. That proved audiences are ready for more air maneuvers and secret missions.

If you want to continue the family experience at home, you can find where Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick are streaming online. In the meantime, you can still see the Top Gun sequel in movie theaters. There are still multiple upcoming movies premiering in 2022.

There was a lot of anticipation for the release of Top Gun: Maverick, especially considering how many times it was delayed, but kudos if you were among the people who predicted it would be the most successful 2022 movie release. Not only has Tom Cruise’s latest flick been showered with praise by critics and general audiences alike, it’s still the only movie of the year to cross $1 billion worldwide, and has now overtaken Titanic to become Paramount Pictures’ highest-grossing feature film domestically. With three months having passed since Maverick premiered in theaters, I took the opportunity to ask some of its talent when they realized just how massive this movie was following its release.

Starting off, we have producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who carried out the same duties on the original Top Gun. Bruckheimer played an integral role in getting Top Gun: Maverick off the ground with Tom Cruise, and as he laid out to me in the following statement, one of the movie’s big draws is immersing audiences into a high-flying world that they’ll never be a part of that’s so entertaining, many are seeing Maverick on the big screen numerous times. In Bruckheimer’s words:

Next we have Charles Parnell, who starred in Top Gun: Maverick as RADM Solomon "Warlock" Bates, a longtime acquaintance of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Along with revealing his favorite memory with Tom Cruise on the production, Parnell informed me about how he realized what a big hit Maverick was upon interacting with some fans out in the world. He explained:

In the case of Greg “Tarzan” Davis, who played pilot Javy "Coyote" Machado, it started dawning on him just how successful Top Gun: Maverick would be when he started speaking with press for the sequel’s initial promotional circuit. Davis recalled:

Finally, Danny Ramirez, who played WSO Mickey "Fanboy" Garcia, echoed Greg Davis’ thoughts about how critics responded so well to Top Gun: Maverick that their excitement was easily noticeable when the interviews happened afterwards, saying:

Greg Davis added that prior to the Top Gun: Maverick junket, he thought listening to so much praise for the movie was what PR for a movie was generally like, in that “the studio pays interviewers to come in and talk highly of the film.” Davis then pointed how well Maverick is doing on Rotten Tomatoes, prompting Danny Ramirez to specifically highlight the 99% Audience Score. Ramirez then mentioned how people now have the option to watch Maverick “limitlessly” from “the comfort of their own homes,” and he’s “really excited about that.”

There are a few movies left to come out this year that may be able to cross the $1 billion marks, such as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever or Avatar: The Way of Water, but whether they’ll come anywhere close to Top Gun: Maverick’s commercial haul or even critically received as warmly remains to be seen. Along with being available to watch both in theaters and digitally now, Paramount is releasing the 4K, Blu-ray and DVD copies of Maverick on November 1. As of this writing, there’s no word on when Paramount+ subscribers will be able to stream the sequel.

"Top Gun: Maverick” is gearing up for its home entertainment release, so of course CinemaBlend had to talk with Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, joined by stars Charles Parnell, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez and Greg “Tarzan” Davis about the epic sequel to the 1980s classic. Watch as they discuss some of their favorite moments with Tom Cruise, the surprise and anxiety of flying in real jets, when they realized "Top Gun: Maverick” had become a global phenomenon, and so much more.

Video Chapters: 

00:00 - Intro

00:34 - How Tom Cruise Got 'Top Gun: Maverick' Greenlit

01:37 - The Cast Shares Their Favorite Memories OfTom Cruise On Set

05:10 - How Tom Cruise Got Val Kilmer To Join 'Top Gun: Maverick'

05:52 - Charles Parnell’s Reaction To Being Cast For 'Top Gun: Maverick'

06:25 - The ‘Maverick’ Cast Did NOT Expect To Fly In Real Jets

09:51 - Glen Powell Is Pushing For The 'Top Gun: Maverick - Extreme Cut'

10:30 - The Moment Everyone Realized How Massive 'Maverick' Was