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In mid-March 2024, a movie poster often paired with identical, copy-and-pasted text went viral on Facebook, promising a sixth installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series to be released in December 2024:

NEW PIRATES!!!

Embark on a gripping voyage of revenge with Johnny Depp in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack’s Revenge.” Witness Jack Sparrow’s relentless pursuit as he seeks vengeance against the Crown for the slaughter of his crew, including Gibbs. In a darker twist, join Jack as he sets sail to dismantle the governors one by one, leaving them plundered and shattered. Prepare for a thrilling and intense journey, coming to theaters this December 2024.

These claims were not true. They originated from a Facebook account that creates parody movie posters and news releases, and their work is explicitly disclosed as satirical:

I’m just here to eat frogs, lift rocks and be satirical. The page is 100% satire and fake news.

At the time the poster was shared, there was uncertainty about a potential sixth “Pirates of the Caribbean” film and whether the franchise’s leading star, Johnny Depp, would be involved. Depp had been dropped by Disney, which produced the films, following 2016 allegations of domestic abuse by his ex-wife Amber Heard that he strongly denied. After he prevailed in a defamation lawsuit against Heard related to those claims, the possibility of Depp’s return became a topic of speculation.

In March 2023, Pirates producer Jerry Bruckheimer told “Entertainment Tonight” that he would “love” to work with Depp on a sixth “Pirates” film. In June 2023, however, the Daily Mail cited anonymous friends of Depp to shoot down rumors that he would return to Disney. By February 2024, based on leaks and other information, several media outlets reported that two new “Pirates” films were being developed. The U.K.’s Daily Express wrote:

As it stands there are two Pirates of the Caribbean movies in the works. One is Margot Robbie’s female-led spin-off and the other is the sixth installment in the main franchise.

And the latest rumour is Disney is considering a new lead for the series played by The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri.

A December 2024 release date for either project — given this level of development — would be ambitious, to say the least. Because the artwork and description of the film come from a Facebook page with a satire disclaimer, the claim is rated “Labeled Satire.”