How to Watch all ‘Pirates of the Caribbean Movies’ in Chronological order

The Caribbean is one of the few pieces of art that draws inspiration from a theme park attraction. The first film, which premiered in 2003 and quickly became a smash, was based on a ride of the same name at Disneyland. One of the finest fantasy bard film franchises ever created, Pirates of the Caribbean is still going strong eighteen years and five movies later. The Pirates of the Caribbean series is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and stars Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Geoffrey Rush as Hector Barbossa, and Kevin McNally as Joshamee Gibbs. The series also features Orlando Bloom as William “Will” Turner, Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann, and Bill Nighy as Davy Jones.

Each film in the series has been a box office success, earning over $650 million worldwide. Together, they make up a significant portion of the Pirates of the Caribbean media empire, with five original films and one short film. Below is the list of Pirates of the Caribbean movie series in order. 

List of Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Series

Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003)

Gore Verbinski’s 2003 supernatural swashbuckler Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is the first instalment in the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. The movie, which was made by Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer, is based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney theme parks. The plot follows the exploits of the Black Pearl’s cursed crew, led by Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), who turns his crew members into zombie skeletons at night as they attempt to abduct Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), played by Johnny Depp, and blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom).

In early 2002, Stuart Beattie revised a script that Jay Wolpert had originally written. At about that period, producer Jerry Bruckheimer got involved with the endeavour; he hired Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio to work on the script, and they added the plot device of a paranormal curse to the narrative to make it consistent with the original theme park experience. In Saint Vincent and the Caribbean and on sets built all throughout Los Angeles, California, shootings occurred from October 2002 to March 2003.

Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley

Release Date: June 28, 2003

Where to Watch Online: Disney+ Hotstar

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

A 2006 American fantasy swashbuckler movie called Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. It is the second film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series and the follow-up to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Gore Verbinski was the director, Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott wrote the script, and Jerry Bruckheimer was the producer. In the movie, Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander), who wants Will Turner to obtain Captain Jack Sparrow’s (Johnny Depp) compass in order to locate the Dead Man’s Chest, interrupts the marriage of Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). In the meantime, Sparrow learns that his obligation to Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) is past due.

In 2004, Elliott and Rossio developed a story arc covering both of the planned instalments of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. From February through September 2005, scenes were filmed on Walt Disney Studios sets as well as in Palos Verdes, Dominica, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, and The Bahamas. At World’s End, the third movie in the series was shot immediately after it (2007).

Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgård, Bill Nighy

Release Date: June 16, 2006 

Where to Watch Online: Disney+ Hotstar

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)

The third film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series and the follow-up to Dead Man’s Chest is the 2007 American epic fiction swashbuckler Pirates of the Caribbean (3): At World’s End, directed by Gore Verbinski (2006). The Black Pearl’s crew, Hector Barbossa and Will Turner, are all depicted as they attempt to free Captain Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones’ Locker. They then get ready to battle Cutler Beckett’s East India Trading Firm, which controls Davy Jones and has long-term ambitions to put an end to piracy. 

In 2004, there were plans to make two successors to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Elliott and Rossio created a storyline that would go through both movies. The movie was split into two shoots in 2005 and 2006, with the first one resulting in the movie Dead Man’s Chest. This is also the last movie in the series that Verbinski has directed. It was, at the time of production, the most expensive movie ever made, with a cost of production of around $300 million USD.

Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgård, Bill Nighy

Release Date: May 19, 2007

Where to Watch Online: Disney+ Hotstar

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

The fourth film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series and a stand-alone sequel to At World’s End is the 2011 American fantasy barbarian warrior Pirates of the Caribbean (4): On Stranger Tides (2007). It is the first movie in the series that Rob Marshall, who took over for Gore Verbinski, didn’t direct. The producer once more was Jerry Bruckheimer. In addition to Penélope Cruz and Ian McShane, the movie stars Johnny Depp, Kevin R. McNally. The film’s plot, which is partially based on Tim Powers’ 1987 novel On Stranger Tides, follows eccentric pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp), who is compelled to form an unsteady alliance with Angelica (Cruz), a mercenary.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributed On Stranger Tides, which was made by Walt Disney Pictures Films. It was the first movie in the series to be published in both IMAX and Disney Digital 3-D. When Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and At World’s End was being made back-to-back, writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio became aware of Powers’ novel and thought it would provide a strong basis for a new instalment in the series. Following the end of the Writers Guild of America strike in 2007 –2008, preproduction got underway, with Depp working with the writers to develop the plot. Between June and November 2010, 106 days were dedicated to principal photography, which took place in Hawaii, the UK, Puerto Rico, and California.

Cast: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush 

Release Date: May 7, 2011

Where to Watch Online: Disney+ Hotstar

Tales of the Code: Wedlocked (2011)

Pirates of the Caribbean (5): Tales of the Code: Wedlocked, also known as Tales Of The Code: Wedlocked or just Wedlocked, is a short film that was written and directed by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, with Leora Glass serving as producer, and James Ward Byrkit as director. Jerry Bruckheimer also serves as executive producer. Lauren Maher, Vanessa Branch, and John Vickery are the actors in the short movie.

Based on the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, the Scarlett and Giselle scenes in Wedlocked gave the “wenches an opportunity to have their own wacky moment,” according to Byrkit. A prelude to the previous movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl, the plot was based on the Pirate Code Book and resembled the original Disneyland attraction, especially the well-known auction sequence.

Cast: John Vickery, Vanessa Branch, Lauren Maher

Release Date: October 18, 2011

Where to Watch Online: Not Available Online

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)

The 2017 American swashbuckler fantasy film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which was also distributed abroad as Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge, was directed by Joachim Rnning and Espen Sandberg and scripted by Jeff Nathanson from a scenario by Nathanson and Terry Rossio. The fifth entry in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, is a solo sequel to On Stranger Tides (2011). Kevin McNally, Kaya Scodelario, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites, Geoffrey Rush, and Johnny Depp are starring in it.

The first film in the series, The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), was recognized by the filmmakers as an influence for the plot and tone of this sequel, which some critics have labelled a “requel.” Terry Rossio wrote the initial draught for the movie, and pre-production got underway well before On Stranger Tides came out in early 2011. The movie’s new script was written for Jeff Nathanson in early 2013, and Depp took part in the writing process. The movie’s initial release date was set for 2015; however, problems with the script and the funding forced delays to 2016 and then 2017. After the Australian authorities awarded Disney $20 million in tax advantages, principal photography began in Australia in February 2015 and ended in July 2015.

Cast: Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Geoffrey Rush, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario

Release Date: May 11, 2017

Where to Watch Online: Disney+ Hotstar