Pirates of the Caribbean is an American adventure film series centered around the Pirates of the Caribbean setting, produced by Walt Disney Pictures. Jerry Bruckheimer has served as producer on all five films.
Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio created the series; other writers include Stuart Beattie, Jay Wolpert, Jeff Nathanson, and Tedd Elliott. The films take place in a fictional historical setting, a world dominated by pirates who live free from any government interference.
The franchise began with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, released in 2003. It was followed by three sequels, all directed by Gore Verbinski: Dead Man’s Chest (2006),
At World’s End (2007) and On Stranger Tides (2011), the latter two were filmed back-to-back in 2006-2007. A fifth film, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, is set to be released on May 26, 2017.
Before The pirates of the Caribbean, Disney had unsuccessfully tried to make a live-action Pirates of the Caribbean movie in the early 1990s. The studio eventually found success with an attraction at their Disneyland theme park, which led to Elliott and Rossio’s script for The Curse of the Black Pearl.
All five films have grossed over $3.7 billion worldwide, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film franchise of all time. A sixth film is currently in development, with Jeff Nathanson hired to write the script.
The series’ story is filled with Mysteries, Suspense, and Action. In the first film, Jack Sparrow, a cunning and amusing rogue, is set against Barbossa, a ruthless pirate of the high seas. Will Turner joins Jack to rescue Elizabeth Swann from Barbossa’s clutches, encountering Captain Davy Jones.
The second film has our heroes’ journey to Davy Jones’ locker to rescue Elizabeth. Jack, Will, and Elizabeth search for the fabled Fountain of Youth in the third film. Barbossa returns as a villain in the fourth film, seeking revenge against Jack. The fifth film sees Jack searching for the Trident of Poseidon to break an ancient curse.
So it all started with a live-action Disney attraction that was so popular it inspired a movie franchise, and now we’re getting a sixth installment.
Undoubtedly, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are some of the most popular films of all time. So if you’re a franchise fan, be sure to check out every Pirate of the Caribbean movie in release order.
Pirates of the Caribbean Movies in Release Order
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Director: Gore Verbinski | Writers: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie | Stars: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport | Country of origin: United States | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 2 hours and 23 minutes. | Release Date: July 9, 2003 | Language: The language is English. | Genres: The movie genres are action, adventure and fantasy. | Filming Locations: Samana, Dominican Republic | Production Companies: Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films | Budget: The budget of the movie was $140 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $654 million.
The first Pirates of the Caribbean movie was released in 2003, titled The Curse of the Black Pearl. The movie was directed by Gore Verbinski and starred Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Jack Davenport.
The film follows Jack Sparrow (Depp), Will Turner (Bloom), and Elizabeth Swann (Knightley) as they attempt to rescue Elizabeth’s father, Governor Weatherby Swann (Jonathan Pryce), from Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, and Stuart Beattie wrote it.
Governor Swann, Elizabeth, and Lieutenant Norrington rescue Will from the gallows. They find Jack Sparrow already there, who has escaped his own execution. He leads them to a hidden cove where his ship, The Black Pearl, is anchored. They take the ship and set sail for Tortuga, a pirate haven, in search of a crew.
On the way, they are intercepted by Barbossa and his crew, who commandeer The Black Pearl. They maroon Jack and Elizabeth on a deserted island, planning to use Will to find the missing Aztec gold that is cursed.
The British Royal Navy rescues Jack and Elizabeth. They reach Port Royal, where Barbossa’s crew has taken over the town and holds the citizen’s hostage. Elizabeth is taken captive, and Jack Sparrow sets out to rescue her.
He meets with Will Turner, who has been working on a ship in the harbor. They find and rescue Elizabeth but are captured by Barbossa’s men. They escape and head back to The Black Pearl to confront Barbossa.
In a final battle, Jack and Will defeat Barbossa and break the curse. Elizabeth chooses to remain with Will, and Jack sets sail on The Black Pearl again.
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Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
Director: Gore Verbinski | Writers: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie | Stars: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgård, Jack Davenport | Country of origin: United States | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 2 hours and 31 minutes. | Release Date: July 7, 2006 | Language: The languages are English, Turkish, Greek, Mandarin, and French. | Genres: The movie genres are action, adventure and fantasy. | Filming Locations: St. Vincent, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines | Production Companies: Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Second Mate Productions | Budget: The budget of the movie was $225 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $1.064 billion.
The second Pirates of the Caribbean movie was released in 2006, titled Dead Man’s Chest. The movie was again directed by Gore Verbinski and starred Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgård, and Jack Davenport.
The film follows the first movie’s characters as they search for Jack Sparrow’s (Depp) lost soul, which is being held by Davy Jones (Bill Nighy). It was written by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, and Stuart Beattie.
The movie opens with Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann’s wedding interrupted by James Norrington, who arrests Elizabeth for aiding Jack Sparrow’s escape. Will Turner sets out to find Jack Sparrow and get the compass he stole from Norrington.
Meanwhile, Jack Sparrow is being pursued by Davy Jones, the captain of The Flying Dutchman, who wants Sparrow’s soul. In order to escape Davy Jones, Jack makes a deal with Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company. He agrees to find Jones’ heart, hidden in a chest, in exchange for his freedom.
Will Turner finds Jack Sparrow and gives him the compass. They set sail for Isla de Muerta, where they believe the chest is hidden. They are ambushed by Barbossa and his crew, who have aligned themselves with Beckett. Jack and Will escape, but Elizabeth is captured.
They reach Isla de Muerta and find the chest. Jones and his crew attack them, and Jack Sparrow is forced to open the chest, revealing Jones’s heart. This breaks the curse that allows Jones to remain immortal.
Jones is killed, and his crew disappears. Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, and Elizabeth Swann are arrested by Beckett and taken back to Port Royal.
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Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
Director: Gore Verbinski | Writers: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie | Stars: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Geoffrey Rush | Country of origin: United States | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 2 hours and 49 minutes. | Release Date: May 25, 2007 | Language: The languages are English and Mandarin. | Genres: The movie genres are action, adventure and fantasy. | Filming Locations: Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA | Production Companies: Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Second Mate Productions | Budget: The budget of the movie was $300 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $960 million.
The third Pirates of the Caribbean movie was released in 2007, titled At World’s End. The movie was again directed by Gore Verbinski and starred Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Geoffrey Rush.
The film follows the characters of the first two movies as they attempt to rescue Jack Sparrow (Depp) from Davy Jones’ Locker. It was written by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, and Stuart Beattie.
Will Turner is sentenced to hang for his part in Jack Sparrow’s escape. Elizabeth Swann tries to rescue him, but she is captured by Beckett and taken aboard The Flying Dutchman.
Jack Sparrow deals with Beckett to find the Dead Man’s Chest and Davy Jones’ heart inside it. In exchange, Beckett will spare Will’s life and give him command of The Flying Dutchman.
Sparrow leads Beckett to Isla de Muerta, where the chest is hidden. They are ambushed by Barbossa and his crew, who want to rescue Elizabeth. During the fight, Sparrow is knocked overboard and presumed dead.
Barbossa’s crew takes Elizabeth aboard The Flying Dutchman, where she finds Will Turner. They head to Davy Jones’ Locker, a place where souls go after they die at sea.
They find Jack Sparrow there, who Tia Dalma has rescued. She tells them they need the Piece of Eight, a pirate flag, to escape Davy Jones’ Locker.
They retrieve the Piece of Eight and sail back to the living world. Beckett and The Flying Dutchman intercept them. In a final battle, they defeat Beckett and Davy Jones. Elizabeth chooses to remain with Will, and they sail off into the sunset together.
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Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Director: Rob Marshall | Writers: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio | Stars: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush | Country of origin: United States, United Kingdom | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 2 hours and 16 minutes. | Release Date: May 20, 2011 | Language: The languages are English and Spanish. | Genres: The movie genres are action, adventure and fantasy. | Filming Locations: Kilauea Falls, Kilauea, Kaua’i, Hawaii, USA | Production Companies: Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Moving Picture Company (MPC) | Budget: The budget of the movie was $410 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $1 billion.
The fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie was released in 2011, titled On Stranger Tides. The movie was directed by Rob Marshall and starred Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, and Geoffrey Rush.
The film follows Jack Sparrow (Depp) searching for the Fountain of Youth. It was written by Rob Marshall, Terry Rossio, and Ted Elliott.
Jack Sparrow is on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth. He is intercepted by Barbossa, who has aligned himself with the British Navy. They are both captured by the Spanish, who also search for the Fountain of Youth.
They escape and reach Whitecap Bay, where the Fountain of Youth is located. They are attacked by the mermaids who live there. Jack and Barbossa team up to find the Fountain before the Spanish do.
They find the Fountain, but the Spanish capture Jack. Barbossa rescues him, and they escape. They are intercepted by the British, who take them, prisoner.
While in prison, Jack Sparrow escapes and sets sail for Tortuga. He is joined by his old friend, Gibbs. They recruit a crew and set off to find the Fountain of Youth before the Spanish do.
They successfully find the Fountain of Youth, but Barbossa captures Jack. He escapes and sets sail for home, with Gibbs and the crew following close behind.
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Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)
Director: Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg | Writers: Jeff Nathanson, Terry Rossio | Stars: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario | Country of origin: United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 2 hours and 9 minutes. | Release Date: May 26, 2017 | Language: The languages are English and Spanish. | Genres: The movie genres are action, adventure and fantasy. | Filming Locations: Village Roadshow Studios, Oxenford, Queensland, Australia | Production Companies: Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Esponfilm AS | Budget: The budget of the movie was $230 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $794 million.
The fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie is set to be released on May 26, 2017, titled Dead Men Tell No Tales. The movie was directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg and starred Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites, and Kaya Scodelario.
The film follows Jack Sparrow (Depp) as he encounters a ghost ship, The Flying Dutchman, and its captain, Davy Jones. Jeff Nathanson wrote it.
Henry Turner, son of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, is on a quest to find the Trident of Poseidon. This is the only thing that can break his father’s curse and allow him to return to the living world.
He is intercepted by Captain Jack Sparrow, who is also searching for the Trident. They are both captured by Captain Salazar, a ghost who is on a quest to kill all pirates.
They escape and reach the island where the Trident is hidden. Salazar and his crew attack them, but they can defeat them. Jack Sparrow uses the Trident to break Will Turner’s curse, and they all return to the living world.
Henry and Will Turner set sail together, while Jack Sparrow sets off on another adventure.
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Pirates of the Caribbean Universe
In addition to the main series, Disney produced a short film called Tales of The Code: Wedlocked (2011) and an attraction called Pirates of The Caribbean: Battle For The Sunken Treasure (2017).
Tales of The Code: Wedlocked is set during the events of At World’s End. It follows Jack Sparrow’s first meeting with Angelica, who would later become his lover.
Pirates of The Caribbean: Battle For The Sunken Treasure is an attraction at Shanghai Disneyland. It is a boat ride that takes guests through the events of the first three films.
The attraction includes Audio-Animatronics of Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Captain Barbossa, Davy Jones, and other characters. It also features a scene with the Kraken cut from At World’s End.
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Here is the list of the Entire Pirates of the Caribbean universe in chronological order:
- Tales of The Code: Wedlocked
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle For The Sunken Treasure
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Six (TBA)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Spin-Off (TBA)
Movies in order by IMDB Rating
| Movies | Rating on IMDB |
|---|---|
| Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales | 6.5/10 |
| Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides | 6.6/10 |
| Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End | 7.2/10 |
| Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest | 7.8/10 |
| Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl | 8.1/10 |
FAQs
Are All of The Pirates of the Caribbean Movies Part of The Same Series?
Yes, all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are part of the same series. They all take place in the same universe and follow the adventures of Jack Sparrow and other pirates.
What Are The Pirates of the Caribbean Movies About?
The Pirates of the Caribbean movies are about the adventures of Jack Sparrow and other pirates. They are set in a fantasy world where pirates sail the seas and fight each other.
What Are The Best Pirates of the Caribbean Movie?
The best Pirates of the Caribbean movie, according to IMDB, is The Curse of the Black Pearl. It has a rating of 8.1/10.
Where Can You Watch The Pirates of the Caribbean Movies?
All of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are available to stream on Disney+.
Do You Need To Watch The Tales of The Code: Wedlocked Short Film?
No, you don’t need to watch Tales of The Code: Wedlocked in order to understand the story. However, it is recommended that you do so, as it will give you a better understanding of Jack Sparrow’s character.
Conclusion
Captain Jack Sparrow is one of the most popular characters in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The character is played by Johnny Depp and first appeared in The Curse of the Black Pearl.
The Pirates of the Caribbean movies are some of the most popular films of all time. They have grossed over $4.5 billion at the box office and are loved by fans all over the world.
If you’re a fan of the franchise, then you should definitely watch all of the movies in order. Not only will you enjoy the story more, but you’ll also get to see some of your favorite characters again and again. Thanks for reading!
Hey, My name is Charles Eames, I am a designer, filmmaker, and lover of photographic arts. And I usually write about movies, Famous/Influential People. I am running this blog with my girlfriend Bernice.