Austin Butler eyed to lead upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean film

The Elvis star could become the new face of the franchise.

Austin Butler is reportedly set to take over from Johnny Depp as the leader of the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

Seven years on from the last instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Disney are looking to reboot the series with a new face at the front, after it was confirmed Johnny Depp would no longer be involved.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales was Depp's last outing as Jack Sparrow, and many fans are hesitant to accept a new film that doesn't include the iconic character.

Recent reports suggest that Dune: Part Two star Austin Butler is being eyed to lead the new reboot.

Austin Butler is reportedly being eyed to star in Disney’s upcoming ‘PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN’ film.

(Via: @TheDisInsider) pic.twitter.com/GYJ6WglqW7
— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) May 15, 2024

The rumour mill has been in full swing in recent years with a Margot Robbie starred female-led reboot on the cards at one stage.

There is no doubt that Butler has proved his prowess with several big performances, including Elvis and The Bikeriders, but Depp’s name has been synonymous with the film series since it's inception in the summer of 2003, and it would be a very hard sell for the 32-year-old actor as he attempts to fill Johnny Depp’s shoes.

When asked about the possibility of a reboot in an interview with comicbook.com, producer Jerry Bruckheimer said: "It’s hard to tell.

"You don’t know," he added. You really don’t know. You don’t know how they come together. You just don’t know.

"Because with Top Gun you have an actor who is iconic and brilliant. And how many movies he does before he does Top Gun, I can’t tell you. But we’re gonna reboot ‘Pirates,’ so that is easier to put together because you don’t have to wait for certain actors."

Replacing Depp would always be a gamble for Disney.

Several studios canceled Depp during his legal battle with his ex-wife, Amber Heard, but now that the debacle is over, his association will hardly be a financial threat at the box office.

Some people on social media have reacted positively on Twitter to the suggestion that Butler could come in and take the reins of the much-loved franchise.

One X user wrote: "Why not lol. Elvis as pirate."