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Ridley Scott's Treasure Island Bidding War Over Jackman's Silver

6/9/2026

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Summary

Ridley Scott Directs Treasure Island

The Treasure Island project was put on the market on July 8, triggering a studio bidding war.
Ridley Scott will direct Hugh Jackman as Long John Silver, with Jack Thorne writing and executive producing.
Ridley Scott and Michael Pruss will produce via Scott Free Productions, but no studio has yet attached.
20th Century Studios passed on the film, citing competition with Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Summary

Disney Revives Pirates

Disney is developing a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film and will bring back Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow.
Early-development projects include a Jack Sparrow-son spinoff and a Margot Robbie-led reboot, with no dates set.
The franchise stalled after its 2017 fifth film, prompting Disney to seek new directions.
Treasure Island entered the public domain in 1944, selling over 100 million copies in more than 50 languages.

History

Historical Context

Since the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act added 20 years to U.S. copyrights, classic novels can eventually enter the public domain, freeing worldwide publishing rights. This legal shift fuels current projects such as Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean revival and Ridley Scott’s planned Treasure Island film, illustrating how expired copyrights enable new blockbuster adaptations.

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Ridley Scott Directs Treasure Island

The Treasure Island project was put on the market on July 8, triggering a studio bidding war.
Ridley Scott will direct Hugh Jackman as Long John Silver, with Jack Thorne writing and executive producing.
Ridley Scott and Michael Pruss will produce via Scott Free Productions, but no studio has yet attached.
20th Century Studios passed on the film, citing competition with Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

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