Depp off Pirates 4?

Rumblings at the highest instances of the Mouse House this Friday might end up costing it one of it’s current biggest cash cows, at least if someone over there doesn’t call Johnny Depp right away.

Disney announced during the day that long-time Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook was stepping down effective immediately after 38 years with the organization, a move reportedly prompted by a rough financial year. Although Cook released a statement through the studio where he seems to imply he left on his own, Disney CEO Bob Iger had publicly expressed his disappointments in Cook and the studios’ recent performances back in May during a conference call with media representatives. Thus many interpret the latest reversal as a lay off.

Whatever the reason for his departure, fact remains that Cook was highly popular and appreciated among the industry, something actor Johnny Depp bitterly reminded the organization when talking to the folks of the Los Angeles Times, upon learning the news from Cook himself. 

“He’s instantly trustworthy. And you generally don’t meet people at the studios you trust. He’s a rare beast,” Depp said, remembering that all but Cook were disapproving of his plan to portray Jack Sparrow in a very un-Disney manner.

Cook was also the one who got Depp on board a fourth Pirates movie, though the actor apparently only has a “potential deal” in place pending script approval, and has yet signed no dotted line. But now…

“There’s a fissure, a crack in my enthusiasm at the moment,” Depp expressed. “It was all born in that office.” As far as I can tell Depp isn’t know as a “prick“ among his peers, but the guy doesn’t exactly need Pirates as much as the other way around so what’s to stop him from walking out? Have we thus seen the last of Jack Sparrow?