In the wake of Dick Cook's departure from Disney, Depp has gone on record stating Cook was the only reason he'd signed on to a fourth Pirates, and now will wait to read the script before confirming his return.
The film, recently announced as Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides , is set to be directed by Chicago helmer Rob Marshall and is slated for a 2011 release.
The script is currently being written by Ted Eliot and Terry Rossio, the pair behind the first three.
Losing Depp would would be a massive blow to the studio, who has helped the Pirates films gross over $2 billion worldwide.
Cook was regarded as one of the most beloved studio chiefs in Hollywood, a man whose working relationships with actors and producers has led to a massively successful run since he became chairman in 2002.
He was responsible for forging Disney's relationship with Jerry Bruckheimer, overseeing the purchase of Pixar, bringing Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks into the Disney family and persuading Johnny Depp to star in Pirates of the Caribbean .
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