For other uses, see Pirates of the Caribbean (disambiguation)

"We wanted to take the pirate genre to a new level, one that had all the thrills and romance that you would expect from a big adventure, but with imaginative, unforgettable characters, state-of-the-art visual effects and a tip of the hat to the original Disneyland attraction, while taking off in whole new directions." ―Jerry Bruckheimer [src]

The Pirates of the Caribbean series is a series of films based on the original Disneyland attraction Pirates of the Caribbean. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the films were directed by Gore Verbinski (1-3), Rob Marshall (4), and Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg (5). They were most notably written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio (1-4); other writers include Stuart Beattie (1), Jay Wolpert (1), and Jeff Nathanson (5). Set in a fantasy world with a fictional historical setting, the films follow the adventures of the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), joined by Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and Joshamee Gibbs (Kevin McNally), as well as Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley).

The film franchise started with their first release on the big screen in 2003 with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which received positive reviews from the critics and grossing over $654 million worldwide. After the film's unexpected success, Disney revealed that two back-to-back sequels would follow as part of a trilogy. The second film, subtitled Dead Man's Chest, was released three years later in 2006; the sequel proved successful, breaking financial records worldwide on the day of its premiere. Dead Man's Chest ended up being the number one film of the year upon earning $1,066,179,725 at the worldwide box office. The third and final installment of the Pirates trilogy, subtitled At World's End, followed in 2007. Disney released a fourth film, subtitled On Stranger Tides, in 2011 in conventional 2D, Disney Digital 3-D, and IMAX 3D. On Stranger Tides succeeded in grossing more than $1 billion, becoming the second film in the franchise and the eighth film in history to achieve this. A fifth film, subtitled Dead Men Tell No Tales, was released on May 26, 2017.

Audiences around the world knew that the Pirates series had not only breathed new life into a dead genre, but had actually reinvented it. So far, the film franchise has grossed $4.524 billion worldwide, and it was the first franchise where more than one film grossed $1 billion worldwide.

Contents show]

Development Edit

Pirates Trilogy Edit

First film Edit

"My agent called and said, 'How do you feel about a pirate movie? I mean, how often are you going to get that call? I used to love watching Captain Blood, The Crimson Pirate, all the old classics. There is something about piracy that speaks to the child within: it's rebellion distilled. Yet, if you look at cinema history, the pirate genre had its heyday and then vanished. I knew I was heading into dangerous waters, but when else would I get the chance?" ―Gore Verbinski [src]

In the early 1990s the screenwriting team of Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio pitched an idea for a pirate movie after completing work on Aladdin, but there was no interest from any studio.[1] Undeterred, the writing team refused to give up the dream, waiting for a studio pick up their take on a pirate tale.[2] In 2001, Disney had Jay Wolpert write a script based on Walt Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean ride. When Disney Chairman Dick Cook managed to get producer Jerry Bruckheimer interested in joining the project,[3] Bruckheimer rejected Wolpert's initial screenplay because it was "a straight pirate movie."[4] Stuart Beattie was brought in to rewrite the script in March 2002, due to his knowledge of piracy.[5] Bruckheimer later had Elliott and Rossio work on the script; having been inspired by the opening narration of the ride, they brought the element of the supernatural laced with lots of humor, which gave the story an edge and interested Bruckheimer.[6]

In May 2002, Gore Verbinski signed on to direct Pirates of the Caribbean, with Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush in negotiations on the following month to star.[5] Verbinski was attracted to the idea of using modern technology to resurrect a genre that had disappeared after the Golden Age of Hollywood, and recalled his childhood memories of the ride, feeling the film was an opportunity to pay tribute to the "scary and funny" tone of it. Bruckheimer stressed that this wasn't going to be a conventional pirate movie, especially if Depp took the lead role of the renegade pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow.[7] Depp was attracted to the story as he found it quirky: rather than trying to find treasure, the crew of the Black Pearl were trying to return it in order to lift their curse; also, the traditional mutiny had already taken place. Verbinski approached Rush for the role of Barbossa as he knew the actor would not play with attempts at complexity, but with a simple villainy that would suit the story's tone.[8] Orlando Bloom read the script after Rush, whom he was working with on Ned Kelly, suggested it to him.[1] Keira Knightley came as a surprise to Verbinski: he had not seen her performance in Bend It Like Beckham and was impressed by her audition.[8] Tom Wilkinson was negotiated with to play Governor Swann,[5] but the role went to Jonathan Pryce, whom Depp idolized.[8]

The filmmakers were quick to point out that the film was a homage to the popular Disney ride, not a direct interpretation of the attraction itself, although they did rely on sketches and original concept drawings by Marc Davis, one of the ride's innovators, for reference points.[1] Although Dick Cook had been a strong proponent of adapting Disney rides into films, the box office failure of The Country Bears made Michael Eisner attempt to shut down production of Pirates of the Caribbean for budgetary reasons.[9] However, Verbinski told his concept artists to keep working, and when Eisner came to visit Bruckheimer's offices, the executive was astonished when he saw concept art and animatics. Though the movie was then greenlit, several changes were made, including adding the subtitle The Curse of the Black Pearl, in case the film proved to be a success and sequels were made.[7][10]

Filming for The Curse of the Black Pearl began on October 9, 2002 and ended by March 7, 2003, and the film was released on July 9.[5][1] Before its release, many had expected the film to be a flop, as the pirate genre had not been successful for years, the film was based on a theme park ride, and Johnny Depp rarely made a big film.[11] However, The Curse of the Black Pearl became both a critical and commercial success. Eventually, the film grossed over $654 million worldwide, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2003.

Second and Third film Edit

"We told Gore, the good news is, we have a great franchise, a great story, and great writers. The bad news is, you already have start date, there is no script to read, and we need you to commit." ―Mike Stenson [src]

Following the unexpected success of The Curse of the Black Pearl, Disney moved swiftly to capitalize on its new franchise, signing Verbinski, Depp, Rush, Bloom, and Knightley to two sequels, to be shot simultaneously like the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Verbinski assured that he and Depp would have more surprises for audiences—and for Disney.[7][12] This practical decision was made on Disney's part to allow more time with the same cast and crew.[13] Writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio decided not to make the sequels new adventures featuring the same ensemble cast of characters, as with the Indiana Jones and James Bond series, but to retroactively turn The Curse of the Black Pearl into the first of a trilogy. Whereas in the first film, the theme park attraction was a wellspring for ideas, for the second and third films they went back to the first movie.[15] They wanted to explore the reality of what would happen after Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann's embrace at the end of the first film, and initially considered the Fountain of Youth as the plot device.[16] Deciding to explore well-known pirate and seagoing lore and mythology, some having been mentioned in the first film, Elliott and Rossio settled on introducing Davy Jones, the Flying Dutchman and the Kraken. They also introduced was the historical East India Trading Company, who for them represented a counterpoint to the themes of personal freedom represented by pirates.[15]

Serious preparation for the films began in June 2004, and production was much larger than The Curse of the Black Pearl, which was only shot on location in St. Vincent.[15] This time, the sequels would require fully working ships, with a working Black Pearl built over the body of an oil tanker in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. By November, the script was still unfinished as the writers did not want director Gore Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer to compromise what they had written, so Verbinski worked with James Ward Byrkit to storyboard major sequences without need of a script, while Elliott and Rossio wrote a "preparatory" script for the crew to use before they finished the script they were happy with. By January 2005, with rising costs and no script, Disney threatened to cancel the film, but changed their minds. The writers would accompany the crew on location, feeling that the lateness of their rewrites would improve the spontaneity of the cast's performances.[16] For the third film, Verbinski wanted to return the tone to that of a character piece after using the second film to keep the plot moving. Inspired by the real-life confederation of pirates, Elliott and Rossio looked at historical figures and created fictional characters from them to expand the scope beyond the main cast.[17] Finally embellishing their mythology, Calypso was introduced, going full circle to Barbossa's mention of "heathen gods" that created the curse in the first film.[18]

Principal photography for both Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, began on February 28, 2005.[15] Filming for At World's End began as early as April 6, when one of the final moments in the film were shot in production designer Rick Heinrichs's Tortuga set constructed on St. Vincent.[19] Production on Dead Man's Chest ended on February 7, 2006,[17][20] whereas more At World's End filming back in the Los Angeles area resumed in August, following the tough post-production schedule on Dead Man's Chest, the film's massive Disneyland premiere, and its July 7 release where it had smashingly successful domestic and international openings. The final, 272nd day of combined principal photography of Dead Man's Chest and At World's End (284 days if one counts pre-principal shooting) on January 10, 2007, just a month-and-a-half shy of two years to the day that the cameras first rolled. For Gore Verbinski and Jerry Bruckheimer, the end of shooting just marked the beginning of an intensive four-and-a-half month post-production schedule for the film's May 25 release.[17]

Dead Man's Chest was also the first Disney theatrical feature film to open with the computer-generated Walt Disney Pictures logo.[21] The logo has opened to further Pirates sequels, let alone Disney films in general.

Stand-alone films Edit

Fourth film Edit

"I always loved the Disneyland ride, and for me the idea of doing an action/adventure film, which I've never done, was incredible. Gore Verbinski did an incredible job on the first three films, so I'm thrilled to become a part of this franchise." ―Rob Marshall [src]

After the successful opening weekend of At World's End, Disney Chairman Dick Cook said he was interested in a fourth installment. The Los Angeles Times also reported that Bruckheimer already had rights to a book.[22] During production of Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio found Tim Powers' novel, On Stranger Tides, from which suggestions for the story arose for "a new chapter" in the Pirates series.[23] Rossio stated that he and Elliott had considered using Blackbeard and the Fountain of Youth as key story elements before reading the book, "but whenever you say those words, Powers' novel comes to mind. There was no way we could work in that field without going into territory Tim had explored."[24] Rossio also said that the script wasn't necessarily based on the book but that they were enough common elements to "think that the book had to be optioned to us," including the film's title.[25] The writing duo once again dug ever deeper into pirate and seagoing history, lore and mythology for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, having added zombies and mermaids. While briefly referenced in Tim Powers' book,[26] mermaids were also already mentioned in the first film.[27]

With the stories of both Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann resolved, concluding with a post-credits sequence in At World's End,[28] Elliott and Rossio decided to do a standalone story, rather than a continuation of the trilogy, or the start of a new one; Tim Powers' novel was a huge inspiration for new characters, theme, settings, and basic storyline. They sought to create new characters while retaining some of the franchise favorites, particularly Captain Jack Sparrow, Hector Barbossa, and Joshamee Gibbs (Kevin R. McNally).[29] A primary character in Tim Powers' novel, Blackbeard was included as the villain for the film, portrayed by Ian McShane. A new female protagonist was created in Angelica, Blackbeard's daughter and Jack Sparrow's love interest, portrayed by Penélope Cruz.[30] Joining the company were other distinguished international actors, including Richard Griffiths, Greg Ellis and Damian O'Hare (the latter two repeating their earlier roles as Groves and Gillette); Spain's Óscar Jaenada; Japan's Yuki Matsuzaki; and Australian supermodel Gemma Ward as the mermaid, Tamara. Also returning was Keith Richards, legendary guitarist of The Rolling Stones, once again portraying Captain Teague. Portraying the two younger leads of the story were England's Sam Claflin, as the stalwart missionary Philip Swift, and France's Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, making her U.S. film debut as the enigmatic mermaid Syrena.[29]

As Gore Verbinski was unavailable due to his commitment with Rango the same year, both Jerry Bruckheimer and Johnny Depp chose Rob Marshall to direct the film. Elliott and Rossio wrote in close collaboration with Jerry Bruckheimer, Rob Marshall, Johnny Depp and Bruckheimer's production heads, Executive Producers Mike Stenson and Chad Oman. Depp was instrumental in the design of On Stranger Tides, from lines of dialogue to the inclusion and development of the new characters.[29][27] Among Depp's ideas were bringing in an official Spanish contingent to follow the protagonists so this would not be just a tale of "pirates following pirates", recalled Terry Rossio, and the star also urged the writers to turn the character Philip Swift, who was originally a swashbuckling character, into a missionary. Afterwards, Rob Marshall and executive producer John DeLuca met Rossio and Elliot, and did alterations of their own, including building the female lead.[31] After the costly production of two simultaneous films, Disney tried to scale down the fourth installment, giving a lower budget,[32][33] It was also the first major "exterior movie" to be shot in 3D, as other films, such as Avatar, were mostly done in sound stages.[23]

Filming for On Stranger Tides began on June 14, 2010[29] and ended on November 19.[34] With 108 first-unit days of filming complete,[35] it was then up to Jerry Bruckheimer, Rob Marshall, John DeLuca and Associate Producer/post-production maestro Pat Sandston to marshal their vast team of film editors, sound-and-visual effects artists, Composer Hans Zimmer and others to complete the film in a pressure-cooker six months before its May 20, 2011 openings around the world.[29] After 46 days in theaters (July 2, 2011), On Stranger Tides grossed over $1 billion worldwide, becoming the second film in the franchise and the eighth film in history to achieve this.

Fifth film Edit

On January 13, 2011, Terry Rossio was confirmed to write the screenplay for the fifth installment, but without his writing partner, Ted Elliott.[36][37] On January 11, 2013, Jeff Nathanson had been hired to write the script for the film.[38] Weeks after Deadline reported Disney's short list of directors, Joachim Rønning & Espen Sandberg were confirmed to direct.[39] On August 22, 2013, the directing duo revealed that the title of the fifth film would be Dead Men Tell No Tales, alluding to the line well-known from the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disney Parks.[40] They also confirmed that they were working on the film, speaking highly of Jeff Nathanson's "funny and touching" script and that they were influenced by the first film, The Curse of the Black Pearl.[41][42] On September 10, 2013, it was reported that the film had been delayed beyond its initial 2015 release, with sources indicating that a Summer 2016 release is likely.[43][44] Producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed that script issues were behind the delay, and that Jeff Nathanson was at work on a second attempt based on a well-received outline.[45] In July 2014, Disney announced that the film had been slated in a new release date of July 7, 2017.[46][47]

A spokesman for the Australian Arts Minister, George Brandis, confirmed that the fifth film was set to shoot in Australia after the government agreed to repurpose $20 million of tax incentives originally intended for the remake of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.[48] According to Australian film industry sources, pre-production started in late September 2014 with filming expected to commence in February 2015.[49] This was officially confirmed by Disney and Ian Walker, the Queensland Arts Minister, on October 2, 2014, stating that filming will take place exclusively in Australia, being the largest production to ever shoot in the country. Village Roadshow Studios and Port Douglas were confirmed as filming locations.[50]

Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow and will be joined by Javier Bardem (as Captain Salazar), Kaya Scodelario, Brenton Thwaites, and Golshifteh Farahani. Geoffrey Rush, Kevin R. McNally, and Stephen Graham are rejoining the action as Barbossa, Gibbs, and Scrum, respectively.

Filming for Dead Men Tell No Tales began on February 2015. The film was released on May 26, 2017, making Dead Men Tell No Tales the most expensive Pirates film ever made, and the first since At World's End in 2007 to not make over $1,000,000,000.

Future Edit

Shortly before the release of On Stranger Tides, it was reported that Disney was planning to shoot the fifth and the sixth films back-to-back,[51] although it was later revealed that only the fifth film was in development. On March 4, 2017, director Joachim Rønning stated that Dead Men was only the beginning of the final adventure, implying that it would not be the last film of the franchise and that a sixth film could be realized.[52]

In September 2017, producer Jerry Bruckheimer indicated that another Pirates sequel is still possible if Dead Men Tell No Tales does well in its home release.[53] In October 2017, Kaya Scodelario said that she was contracted to return for a sixth film.[54] Shortly after, it was announced that Joachim Rønning is being eyed to direct the film.[55]

In October 2018, deadline.com reported that The Walt Disney Company had plans for a Pirates reboot with Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick attached to write and original series producer Jerry Bruckheimer to produce it.[56] In December 2018, Disney's President of Motion Picture Production Sean Bailey confirmed that he had hired Reese and Wernick to work on a possible Pirates reboot.[57] However, in February 2019 it was reported that Reese and Wernick had left the project.[58]

In October 2019, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Ted Elliott and Craig Mazin would helm the sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film.[59] In June 2020 the same website reported that Disney was working on another, separate, Pirates of the Caribbean film, written by Christina Hodson and starring Margot Robbie.[60]

Films Edit

Feature films Edit

The Curse of the Black Pearl Edit

For the roguish yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), the crystalline waters of the Caribbean, like the high seas the world over, present a vast playground where adventure and mystery abound. But Jack's idyllic pirate life capsizes after his nemesis, the wily Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), steals his ship, the Black Pearl, and later attacks the town of Port Royal, kidnapping the Governor's (Jonathan Pryce) beautiful daughter, Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). Elizabeth's childhood friend, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), joins forces with Jack to commandeer the fastest ship in the British fleet, the H.M.S. Interceptor, in a gallant attempt to rescue her and recapture the Black Pearl. The duo and their ragtag crew are pursued by Elizabeth's betrothed, the debonair, ambitious Commodore Norrington (Jack Davenport), aboard the H.M.S. Dauntless. Unbeknownst to Will, a cursed treasure has doomed Barbossa and his crew to live forever as the undead, the moonlight eerily transforming them into living skeletons. The curse they carry can be broken only if the plundered treasure is restored in total and a blood debt repaid. Against all odds, the Interceptor and Dauntless race toward a thrilling confrontation with Barbossa's pirates on the mysterious Isla de Muerta. At stake is Jack Sparrow's revenge, the Black Pearl, a fortune in forbidden treasure, the lifting of the pirates' curse that has doomed Barbossa and his crew to live forever as skeletons, the fate of the British navy, and the lives of our valiant heroes as they clash their swords in fierce combat against the dreaded Pirates of the Caribbean.

Dead Man's Chest Edit

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski, Captain Jack sets sail on this all-new adventure. In this swashbuckling and spectacular follow-up to the blockbuster 2003 film, the decidedly eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is caught up in another tangled web of supernatural intrigue. Although the curse of the Black Pearl has been lifted, an even more terrifying threat looms over its captain and scurvy crew: it turns out that Jack owes a blood debt to the legendary Davy Jones (Bill Nighy), Ruler of the Ocean Depths, who captains the ghostly Flying Dutchman, which no other ship can match in speed and stealth. Unless the ever-crafty Jack figures a cunning way out of this Faustian pact, he will be cursed to an afterlife of eternal servitude and damnation in the service of Jones. This startling development interrupts the wedding plans of Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), who once again find themselves thrust into Jack's misadventures, leading to escalating confrontations with sea monsters, very unfriendly islanders, flamboyant soothsayer Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris) and even the mysterious appearance of Will’s long-lost father, Bootstrap Bill (Stellan Skarsgård).

Meanwhile, ruthless pirate hunter Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) of the East India Trading Company sets his sights on retrieving the fabled Dead Man's Chest. According to legend, whoever possesses the Dead Man's Chest gains control of Davy Jones, and Beckett intends to use this awesome power to destroy every last Pirate of the Caribbean once and for all. For times are changing on the high seas, with businessmen and bureaucrats becoming the true pirates...and freewheeling, fun-loving buccaneers like Jack and his crew threatened with extinction.

At World's End Edit

It is a dark time as the Age of Piracy nears to a close. Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) of the East India Company has gained control of the terrifying ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman, and its malevolent, vengeful Captain, Davy Jones (Bill Nighy). The Dutchman now roams the seven seas, unstoppable, destroying pirate ships without mercy, under the command of Admiral Norrington (Jack Davenport). Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) embark on a desperate quest to gather the Nine Lords of the Brethren Court, their only hope to defeat Beckett, the Flying Dutchman, and his Armada. But one of the Lords is missing—Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), either the best or worst pirate ever, and now trapped in Davy Jones' Locker, thanks to his encounter with the monstrous Kraken. In an increasingly shaky alliance, our heroes, including Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris), Pintel (Lee Arenberg) and Ragetti (Mackenzie Crook) must first travel to dangerous, exotic Singapore and confront Chinese pirate Captain Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat) to gain charts, and a ship, that will take them off to world's end, to rescue Jack. But even if Captain Jack is successfully rescued, the gathering of the legendary Brethren Court may not be enough to hold back the fearsome tide of Beckett, Davy Jones and their powerful Armada...unless the capricious sea goddess Calypso, imprisoned in human form, can be freed and convinced to come to their aid.

As betrayal piles upon betrayal, it becomes clear that Jack, Will, Elizabeth, Sao Feng, and Barbossa each have their own agenda, and no one can be trusted. Yet each must choose a side, and make their final alliances for one last battle, in a titanic showdown that could eliminate the freedom-loving pirates from the seven seas—forever.

On Stranger Tides Edit

Travel with Captain Jack on his action-packed journey to the legendary Fountain of Youth. When Jack crosses paths (and swords) with the enigmatic Angelica (Penélope Cruz), a ravishing pirate with whom he shares a dubious past, she forces him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship belonging to the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane).

Finding himself a prisoner on an unexpected journey to the fabled fountain, Jack must use all his wiles to deal with the barbarous Blackbeard and his crew of zombies, Angelica, who can—and will—match him wit for wit and sword for sword, and beautiful, enchanting mermaids whose masterful cunning can lure even the most seasoned sailor to his doom.

Dead Men Tell No Tales Edit

The rip-roaring adventure finds down-on-his-luck Captain Jack feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil's Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea&dmash;notably Jack. Jack's only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has ever faced.

Short film Edit

Tales of the Code: Wedlocked Edit

Wenches Scarlett (Lauren Maher) and Giselle (Vanessa Branch) fix each other up for their separate weddings, in which they would each marry their groom. Upon realizing that both their grooms were the same man, Jack Sparrow, the two wenches found themselves in an auction led by the Auctioneer. The short film serves as a prequel to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, explaining just why Jack Sparrow's boat the Jolly Mon was seen sinking at the beginning of the whole story, and explaining why Scarlett and Giselle were so upset with him.

Cast and crew Edit

Cast Edit

Main article: List of Pirates of the Caribbean cast members

The cast of the movies featured notable actors. Chief among them were Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush, portraying Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbossa. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley starred as Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann in the first three films, also known as the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. Throughout the trilogy, they were joined by many of the other actors who starred in notable supporting or minor roles. In the fourth film, On Stranger Tides, only Depp, Rush, and Kevin McNally (Joshamee Gibbs) reprised their roles from the first three films, backed by almost an entire cast of new supporting and minor characters. The fifth film, Dead Men Tell No Tales, features the return of Depp, Rush, and McNally from the previous four films alongside an almost entirely new cast save Martin Klebba and Stephen Graham from previous films. On top of new and returning faces, the film features notable cameos from Bloom and Knightley, reprising their roles as Turner and Swann.

Crew Edit

Main article: List of Pirates of the Caribbean crew members

All five films were produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio wrote the first four, with Jeff Nathanson taking on Dead Men Tell No Tales. Other notable crew members include cinematographer Dariusz Wolski and costume designer Penny Rose. Composer Hans Zimmer is best known as the composer for the series, although Klaus Badelt, a good friend of his, was the main composer for Curse, and Geoff Zanelli, a pupil of Zimmer, created the score of Dead Men. Spanish duo Rodrigo y Gabriela assisted Zimmer in the creation of the score for On Stranger Tides. Gore Verbinski directed the first three films, the Pirates trilogy, while Rob Marshall directed the fourth film and directing duo Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg helmed the fifth.

Significance Edit

Regarding the making of, the success, or critical analysis, the Pirates of the Caribbean series currently are significant in several areas:

The successful franchise was based on a theme park attraction.

The fact that all major characters have been played by the same actors for the series. Another note given was that the films had a stellar cast.

After the unexpected success of the first film, some have said that the Pirates films rescued the pirate genre, noting the series may have repopularlized (or at least set the bar) for period adventures.

films rescued the pirate genre, noting the series may have repopularlized (or at least set the bar) for period adventures. Each film in the series has been released to critical and/or financial success worldwide. The first film was a big surprise; the second film was the number one film of the year; and the fourth film was the second billion dollar film in the franchise, making Pirates the first franchise to have more than one film reach the billion dollar level.

Logo history Edit

Films Edit

The Curse of the Black Pearl Edit

The opening title sequence begins with a black screen filling with fog, as sparks begin to fly revealing the Pirates of the Caribbean logo. The subtitle The Curse of the Black Pearl fades in from the smoke as both disappear again into the fog, leaving the screen filled with sparks. Then darkness fills as the fog fades away.

Dead Man's Chest Edit

The opening title sequence begins with a heartbeat thumping as the dark blue ocean reveals itself. The waves roll by as the Pirates of the Caribbean logo fades into view. It disappears, replaced by the simple typography Dead Man's Chest. That too fades away, taking the ocean with it, leaving the screen black.

At World's End Edit

The opening title sequence begins with a piece of eight falling in darkness as the Pirates of the Caribbean logo rings on-screen. As the coin hits the ground, the words At World's End fade into view, the coin swirling slowly in the background.

On Stranger Tides Edit

The opening title sequence begins with a shot of a single drop of water landing in the ocean to reveal a handwritten book, a mysterious symbol, and the silhouette of what appears to be a mermaid swimming toward a soft blue light. On top of that imagery is the simple typography On Stranger Tides followed by the now-familiar Pirates of the Caribbean logo before gracefully distressing themselves into black ink and melts into the sea.[61]

Dead Men Tell No Tales Edit

The opening title sequence begins with the burning ship Monarch as the camera pans away from it. Clouds of smoke cover the screen as the golden Pirates of the Caribbean logo fades into view, followed by the subtitle Dead Men Tell No Tales, lingering as sparks fly across the screen once more.

In other media Edit

On Stranger Tides Edit

Like the previous films, a teaser poster revealed the skull logo for On Stranger Tides, though the poster itself never showed the title. The logo depicts a metallic chrome skull with the signature red bandanna Jack Sparrow wears and the crossed swords. Other new details include the following:

A tiny "X" scar etched into the right cheekbone of the face.

New beads.

Skeletons hanging from the bottom of the last trinket on a beaded dreadlock.

A Hidden Mickey at the very top of the left dreadlock with the dangling skeletons.

Blonde streaks of hair sticking out.

A pearl lodged deeply into one of the skull's many golden teeth.

Swimming mermaids engraved on the hand guard of the right sword.

In many posters and DVD/Blu-ray covers, the logo is shown on a gray scroll with the full title in black. In many trailers, TV advertisements, and other promotions reveals the title in a gray font.