Oct 9: Johnny Depp is reportedly being offered a whopping 59.2 million dollar pay cheque for reprising his role as ”Captain Jack Sparrow” in a fourth installment of the ”Pirates Of The Caribbean” franchise.

If the big-money deal happens it will make Hollywood history as the highest up-front payment ever – overshadowing the 53.65 million dollar pay cheque Tom Hanks was offered to star in the forthcoming ”The Da Vinci Code sequel, Angels & Demons”.

A source, however, has insisted that Disney Studio bosses – who are behind the hugely successful franchise – would pay anything to keep Depp on their books.

“There”s only one Johnny Depp. They simply cannot make another Pirates movie without Jack Sparrow,” Contactmusic quoted the source, as telling the Daily Mail.

“The first three films have earned 2.7 billion dollars at the box office. It”s no surprise that Disney executives want Jack back and they are willing to pay big bucks to get him,” the source said.

However, it is unlikely Depp”s co-stars Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley will return to star in another sequel.