Is Disney going off the "Depp" end?

Scouring the web, I noticed something that threw me back in my seat. No Johnny Depp for beyond "Pirates" 4? Could it be true? Surely not. I had to investigate.

It seems that after Disney Studio head Dick Cook was ousted because the company wanted to go in a "different direction", Mr. Depp could be possibly reconsidering his role as Captain Jack Sparrow.

It's well known that Cook supported the direction Depp took with the character of Sparrow in the first film and now that he is no longer involved with the project, it's been rumored the project has lost some luster for Depp.

What I read further down the page is what really threw me for a loop.

A couple sites on the net have reported that if Depp backed out of the project, the studio was willing to go forward without Captain Jack. Really?

This is the great thing about studios. They have no concept of how to make movies. Success in Hollywood is the tiny players who make the magic happen. The big shots who actually pull the strings have little concept of what audiences want and how to deliver it.

I know I'm ranting, but when things get wacky, something has to be said.

If Johnny doesn't want to continue with the character after the next picture, retire the franchise. He is the success of the movie. Make one final flick that is good and bow out. He's been one of the few bearable parts of the last two installments anyway.