Pirates Of The Caribbean’s Writer Originally Had A Very Different Star In Mind For Jack Sparrow – /Film

In the build up to the release of the fourth movie, "On Stranger Tides," original screenwriter Stuart Beattie revealed this tidbit:

"I initially wrote the character with Hugh Jackman in mind... hence the name Captain 'Jack' Sparrow."

Beattie had only written a few movies back home in Australia when he was hired to rewrite the "Curse of the Black Pearl" script in 2002, reportedly landing the gig because he was a "major pirate buff" and the studio wanted to add some realism.

Although he wrote the Jack Sparrow part with fellow Aussie Jackman in mind, the studio rejected the idea because they didn't consider him a big enough star at that point. Jackman only made his debut a few years earlier in "Erskineville Kings,"but found himself in the frame for Wolverine in "X-Men" thanks to his friendship with first choice Russell Crowe, eventually winning the role after Dougray Scott pulled out.

Would Jackman make a good Jack Sparrow? Well, at that stage of his career, he had already proven he could do charismatic heroes, as he repeatedly demonstrated in all his performances as Wolverine. With his background in stage musicals, he has shown a theatrical flourish in many of his roles, from illusionist Angier in "The Prestige" to P.T. Barnum in "The Greatest Showman." He also isn't afraid to send himself up, so his Jack Sparrow might have been almost as colorful as Depp's, although it's difficult to imagine him pushing the envelope quite so far.

Read more:

Pirates Of The Caribbean's Writer Originally Had A Very Different Star In Mind For Jack Sparrow - /Film