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Pan may be a retelling of J.M. Barrie’s classic tale, but in the film, Hugh Jackman and his band of buccaneers lead a rousing chorus of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Jackman, who plays the dastardly pirate Blackbeard, stopped by EW’s SiriuxXM studio to explain the origins of his unconventional entrance music: a week of pirate boot camp.

“It was the most fun week I’ve ever had in my life, and we would sing songs every morning,” Jackman told EW and People editorial director Jess Cagle. “’Oh ho ho…’ That’s what pirates do, right? So we had sea shanties and classic kinds of pirate songs, and we’d sing ‘em, and [director] Joe [Wright] would be like, ‘Ugh, this is really wet. You know, you guys don’t seem like great pirates.’”

So, Wright swapped out the sea shanties for something a little more rock ‘n’ roll: The Ramones and Nirvana. Jackman and his crew got so into it, the songs ended up in the final cut.

“That was a moment I will never forget,” Jackman said. “And also seeing hundreds of 11-year-olds singing lyrics that they have absolutely no idea what it’s about.”

Pan hits theaters on Oct. 9.

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