Johnny Depp is set to complete a remarkable comeback as Captain Jack Sparrow in a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean adventure. He has been in “advanced” talks with Disney studio bosses to reprise the iconic lead character of the £3.4billion franchise, according to a senior executive who said: “It’s very close to being a done deal.

“A script is already in place and Disney views this as a series reboot, meaning the door will be wide open for more future episodes for Johnny, despite everything he has been through.” Depp was ditched by the family-oriented studio during his legal battle with his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard. He lost a libel action against a UK newspaper that branded him a “wife beater”.

The actor, 61, later won his own civil case against Ms Heard, 38, in America but claimed to have been “cancelled” in Hollywood after being ditched from several films.

Last week, trade magazine Variety hailed his “Return to Hollywood” to shoot his first film in LA since his courtroom dramas – an action thriller called Day Drinker in which he will star opposite Penelope Cruz, with longtime friend Marc Webb directing.

Behind the scenes, however, Depp has been “deep in talks” with Disney to reprise his role as Captain Jack in the next blockbuster instalment of Pirates, with the senior source revealing: “They actually had two scripts ready to go – one with Johnny in mind, the other without him – and they are ready to can the one without him.”