Captain Jack Sparrow Was Intended for Hugh Jackman, Not Johnny Depp

Captain Jack Sparrow Was Intended for Hugh Jackman, Not Johnny Depp

In a Fox News exclusive, original Pirates of the Caribbean screenwriter Stuart Beattie explained that the character of Captain Jack Sparrow was originally intended for Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman, rather than Johnny Depp.

By EdGross - Dec 01, 2010 07:12 AM EST
Filed Under: Fantasy
Source: Fox News

“I initially wrote that character with Hugh Jackman in mind,” screenwriter Stuart Beattie revealed. “Hence the name Captain JACK Sparrow.”

Offers Fox News, "At the time, Jackman was a prominent actor in Beattie’s homeland of Australia, but was not yet a big on the international scene, prompting the folks at Disney to dismiss Beattie’s casting contribution and instead hunt down Johnny Depp for the role. And when it comes to trying to pushing for a big break in Hollywood, patience certainly pays off."

“I spent ten years pitching it to Disney and they weren’t interested,” Beattie, who went on to write Collateral, G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra and 30 Days of Day, said. "Then finally, I got a call to come back in.”

BETTER MAN: Robbie Williams Is A CGI Ape In First Trailer For Michael Gracey's Bizarre Biopic
Related:

BETTER MAN: Robbie Williams Is A CGI Ape In First Trailer For Michael Gracey's Bizarre Biopic

GLADIATOR II: Epic New Trailer And Poster Tease A New Legacy...Or Another Rebellion!
Recommended For You:

GLADIATOR II: Epic New Trailer And Poster Tease A New Legacy...Or Another Rebellion!

DISCLAIMER: ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and... [MORE]

ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

StevieBurns
StevieBurns - 12/1/2010, 7:49 AM
www.fynenights.com
Denn1s
Denn1s - 12/1/2010, 7:50 AM
he could nail the role because he can act funny, but depp is awesome in this part...
Brashlight
Brashlight - 12/1/2010, 7:53 AM
After seeing what Johnny Depp did as Sparrow I am happy with the casting. I think the direction that character was taken fits the films and was done extremely well by Depp.
Bigbywolf
Bigbywolf - 12/1/2010, 7:58 AM
Jack Sparrow would have been a completely different character with Jackman playing the role.
Shaman
Shaman - 12/1/2010, 8:00 AM
Jackman can be as versatile as Depp so either way, i'm a happy camper.
nuck82
nuck82 - 12/1/2010, 8:01 AM
yeah epic fail if it went to jackman, i dont think he can pull of the oddness that depp does
Trapdinsteel
Trapdinsteel - 12/1/2010, 8:04 AM
I could see Jackman being good at it, but chances are if that happened there could have been conflicts with him ever being Wolverine so perhaps things work out for a reason! Not to mention that Depp does a great job as Sparrow

Also I think you meant "30 Days of Night" as one of his other film credits which gives Beattie a screenplay credit on imdb and IMO is a great movie.

...which is surprising that he also did GI Joe because that was a hot steaming turd with a joke of a "plot twist"...perhaps it was the execution of the filming process that ruined his screenplay?!
jbak368
jbak368 - 12/1/2010, 8:13 AM
Just think about Jackman playing the drunk actor in The Prestige. He would've been great. Depp was great too though.
superdog
superdog - 12/1/2010, 8:17 AM
jackman is good but it would have been a completely different take. more serious. the role was actually supposed to be serious, it was depp who decided to take it over the top and actually had the studio scared shitless that it would backfire.
Brashlight
Brashlight - 12/1/2010, 8:21 AM
superdog@ shows how much studios know! Glad they don't run productions on movies like x-men or spiderman or fantastic four or else they would really screw them up...oh wait...
dfresh
dfresh - 12/1/2010, 8:37 AM
Jackman isn't always as serious as a lot of folks seem to think. Not sure if you saw him host the Oscars a couple years back, but he's got quite a bit of "silly zaniness" to him. I do think he would have made the character a bit more stoic though and less creepy kook type.
dfresh
dfresh - 12/1/2010, 8:39 AM
@StevieBurns, well done with Ace & Gary!
UncleDrew
UncleDrew - 12/1/2010, 9:39 AM
GOOD THING IT WAS JOHNNY DEPP, CAUSE I THINK IF IT WAS JACKMAN IT WOULD'VE BEEN AN EPIC FAIL!!!
ThunderCougarFalconBird
ThunderCougarFalconBird - 12/1/2010, 10:21 AM
Everyone seems to think Jackman would have played the part the same way as Depp. The script may have been the same but the character would have been very different, Depp wasn't told to use Keith Richards as inspiration, that came from him. Jackman would have been good, if not very good but Depp gave us one of cinemas greatest characters.
TheNameIsBetty
TheNameIsBetty - 12/1/2010, 10:26 AM
Yeah I'm thinking the verdict is 'epic fail'. As much as I love and adore Hugh Jackman (in a very manly way), I just don't see him doing that role.
I understand Hugh Jackman can be funny. Hell, I bet he could be totally effing hilarious, but no. Now...he wouldn't make a bad pirate, I'll give him that.

Pirate = yes.
Funny = perhaps
Funny at Oscars = Yes
Would you like some tea = yes, please
Funny Pirate = no
JackBauer
JackBauer - 12/1/2010, 10:42 AM
@Brashlight - Epic avatar dude!
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 12/1/2010, 11:48 AM
Could have been cool, but it would have go in the totally different direction.
thatiscrazy
thatiscrazy - 12/1/2010, 12:25 PM
I don't know if I can see a 5ft Bad Ass killing machine playing Jack Sparrow... Wait a minute, Hugh would be awsome as Jack Sparrow lol, cause he dam sure aint no wolverine... yeah I said it =P
Bandrews1
Bandrews1 - 12/1/2010, 12:41 PM
Johnny Depp was mean't to play this role, I can't see anyone else but him doing it.
marvel72
marvel72 - 12/1/2010, 2:09 PM
thank f*ck jackman didn't the role,depp a much better choice.
SmokinIndo
SmokinIndo - 12/1/2010, 2:54 PM
On an unrelated note, I saw the phrase "In a Fox News exclusive" and knew immediately that this was a lie.
m73
m73 - 12/1/2010, 11:39 PM
Jackman is very one note, he would have played him like Van Helsing by the way of Arrrrr. Depp was spot on, drunk quirky rogue.
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 12/2/2010, 3:12 AM
OBI- WISHE HE HAD THE MASK
mstargel
mstargel - 12/2/2010, 10:48 AM
I think that it all worked out for the best, although I am sure that Jackman would have brought an interesting take to the role.
View Recorder