Keira Knightley jokes about Pirates of the Caribbean role and hints at Elizabeth Swann's fate

Keira Knightley says there have been no conversations about returning to Pirates of the Caribbean, and she isn’t sure where Elizabeth Swann would head after the original trilogy. In remarks tied to a recent red carpet appearance, she told Entertainment Tonight that there have been no discussions about a comeback. When pressed on where the character might go next, Knightley offered a candid skip—the 40-year-old actress asked, “What happened to her?” and noted that it was a very long time ago, adding that she didn’t even recall what happened to Elizabeth Swann in the intervening years. “I’m not quite sure where she should go afterwards. She should be a pirate, right?” she quipped while acknowledging she was part of the early Pirates of the Caribbean era, alongside Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp.

Knightley’s response comes amid renewed chatter about a Pirates return, following Bloom’s recent comments about reuniting the original cast. Bloom, speaking at Fan Expo Chicago, said he would personally love to see everyone back and suggested there’s a path to a new installment if the script is strong and all the original stars are on board. He added that the way to win a new Pirates film would be to bring back the right combination of talent, saying, “If they can, and if everybody wanted to go back.”

Knightley has long reflected on the franchise’s double-edged impact. In a Times interview published in 2024, she described how the series both propelled her career and subjected her to intense public scrutiny. “It’s a funny thing when you have something that was making and breaking you at the same time,” she said, noting that the films helped her gain opportunities like Oscar-nominated roles, even as they exposed her to public shaming. She described the experience as confusing and said the movies were among the most successful she’s been a part of while also being the source of enduring scrutiny in her public life. Knightley emphasized that she has no plans to join another long-running franchise, citing the hours, lack of control over filming locations, and other demanding aspects of such productions as a major downside. The mental and emotional toll of the fame that accompanied the Pirates era is something she has discussed publicly in the past, including a 2018 revelation about a mental health episode and a later acknowledgement of post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosed when she was 22.

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has its roots in a trilogy that debuted in the early 2000s, with four more films following and a fifth film in development in various rumors and rumor-laden outlets for years. The initial five films collectively grossed more than $4 billion worldwide, underscoring the series’ massive commercial success. Yet there has been no new feature since 2017, and in recent years, any talk of reviving the franchise has centered on whether the original ensemble might participate. Depp’s status in the franchise has been a subject of public discussion as well; during his 2022 defamation trial, testimony touched on whether Disney would consider a return, with the actor provocatively layered into the ongoing conversation about Pirates relaunches. When asked if he would come back for a Pirates film for a significant payday, Depp replied that nothing would compel him to work with Disney on Pirates again, a stance he characterized as absolute in that moment.

Despite the long pause since the last Pirates film and the high-profile stars’ mixed public reflections, Bloom’s call for a full reunion remains a focal point for fans of the franchise. Knightley’s candid commentary adds to a broader conversation about the viability of weiteren installments that would grapple with whether the original character arcs could be meaningfully continued or reimagined without the core trio of Knightley, Bloom, and Depp.

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As Knightley continues to navigate complex memories of early fame and its repercussions, her stance signals a clear preference to avoid stepping back into a long-running franchise format. She has expressed gratitude for the opportunities Pirates provided but also acknowledges the personal costs she endured along the way. Orlando Bloom’s willingness to explore a reunion highlights a persistent interest among some fans and creators in revisiting the world of Pirates, should a compelling script and cast alignment emerge. For Knightley, the door remains closed for the foreseeable future, framed by considerations of personal well-being, creative control, and the demanding nature of blockbuster franchises.

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