Johnny Depp needs some public image rehabilitation, and badly.
Between a sullied Depp, main characters out of the equation and the long wait time since the last installment, this has turned into something of a gamble.
The question of whether the Pirates franchise can still work is very much up in the air.
When it came out last year that he had physically abused former spouse Amber Heard, a dark and sickly pallor was cast over the heretofore beloved actor’s profile.