Pirates of the Caribbean: Margot Robbie to star in female-fronted version from Birds of Prey writer

Movie is reportedly intended to be separate from the forthcoming reboot of the original franchise

Margot Robbie is being lined up to star in a female-fronted Pirates of the Caribbean film.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new Disney movie will be a new collaboration between Robbie and writer Christina Hodson, who worked together on DC’s Birds of Prey.

It will be separate from the previously announced franchise reboot of the films that starred Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, along with Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. The reboot is being developed by Pirates writer Ted Elliott and Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who worked on the original Pirates franchise, is attached to both projects.

Robbie’s film will reportedly be an original story with brand-new characters.

Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the most commercially successful franchises of all time, grossing over $4.5bn (£3.6bn) across five feature films.

However, THR reports that the studio has been looking for ways to breathe new life into the franchise after the fifth film, Dead Men Tell No Tales, suffered a low box office performance compared to its predecessors.

Robbie’s most recent projects include 2019 film Bombshell, and Quentin Tarantino’s movie Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, in which she appeared opposite her former Wolf of Wall Street co-star Leonardo DiCaprio.

She is next set to appear in James Gunn’s sequel The Suicide Squad, reprising her role as Harley Quinn.

Among Hodson’s other film credits are Transformers spin-off Bumblebee, DC’s The Flash, and Batgirl.