Disney have not ruled out a potential 'Pirates of the Caribbean' return for Johnny Depp.

The 59-year-old actor was axed as Captain Jack Sparrow by the company in 2018 in a bid to bring a "new energy" to the franchise but Disney Studios Motion Picture president Sean Bailey hasn't shut down the prospect of the actor returning for a sixth movie.

In an interview with The New York Times newspaper, Bailey said: "We think we have a really good, exciting story that honours the films that have come before but also has something new to say."

Quizzed on whether Depp would be part of the movie, Bailey answered by saying that the studio was "noncommittal at this point".

Jerry Bruckheimer produced all the movies in the franchise and revealed last year that he would "love" to see Depp return to the series after winning his defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard – although he insisted that Disney would have the final say on the decision.

The 79-year-old movie producer told The Hollywood Reporter: "You'd have to ask them. I can't answer that question. I really don't know.

"I would love to have him in the movie. He's a friend, a terrific actor, and it's unfortunate that personal lives creep into everything we do."

Bruckheimer – who has produced blockbusters including 'Beverly Hills Cop' and 'Top Gun' – also confirmed that the character of Captain Jack Sparrow would never be killed off.

He said: "You can't. We tried to kill him. It didn't work."

Johnny had mentioned during last year's trial that he was saddened not get the chance to say farewell to Jack Sparrow after almost 20 years of playing the pirate.

The 'Edward Scissorhands' star said: "My feeling was that these characters should be able to have their proper goodbye, as it were.

"A franchise can only last for so long, and there's a way to end a franchise like that, and I thought that the characters deserved to have their way out, to end the franchise on a very good note. I planned on continuing until it was time to stop."