It’s been almost eight years since Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow sailed off into the sunset at the end of the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

Since then, the 61-year-old star has been dropped by Disney after domestic abuse allegations by his ex-wife Amber Heard, which the actor strongly denies.

Yet having won a US libel case against her, fans are ever hopeful that he will make a return in Pirates of the Caribbean 6, which Depp had planned to be a proper send-off to his much-loved character.

During the court proceedings, the A-lister said he wouldn’t reprise Sparrow with Disney for even hundreds of millions of dollars.

Yet a couple of years after the dust has settled and with all the fan enthusiasm surrounding the idea, it now feels all the more likely, especially as the star says he doesn’t hold grudges.

The insider told us at the time: “The future is as deep and dark as Jack Sparrow's mysterious, murky waters of the deep blue sea. The future with the Disney production is as cryptic as a pirate's treasure map. Putting Johnny Depp in the role again and properly promoting it would be hard to top, and a windfall for the franchise. I'm sure Jack Sparrow longs for his desert islands. The character longs to continue his journeys into uncharted oceans but the incredibly talented actor has many scripts that he has to navigate through, and has to decide if Jack Sparrow deserves a second life.”

The source also warned that Disney studio bosses need to listen carefully to what fans of their franchises want, following recent misfires with Marvel and Star Wars.