Twenty-two years since The Curse of the Black Pearl was released in 2003, it remains one of the best attempts at turning a Disney theme park ride into a feature film. Not only did it survive a chaotic productionit birthed a movie franchise that mixed history with action, horror, and fantasy. The Pirates of the Caribbean series, at this point, is much more well-known than the ride it was initially based on, with a lasting legacy due to Johnny Depp’s flamboyant Captain Jack Sparrow, the visual effects mastery that turned Bill Nighy into Davy Jones, and the fantastical, out-of-this-world set pieces. However, the sequels lost sight of what made the first movie its strongest installment. With the update that two new Potc movies are in development, they need to remember why Curse of the Black Pearl became one of the best modern pirate movies.
The ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Sequels Wanted To Expand the World
The Curse of the Black Pearl includes all the backstabbing, sword fights, and romance a swashbuckling movie needs, without it feeling overstuffed and bloated. Starting with Dead Men’s Chest (2006), the number of locations and characters increases the world-building to bring in the smug Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander), the Flying Dutchman, the Kraken, and the mysterious Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris). As the conclusion to the original trilogy, At World’s End (2007) puts the survival of all pirates on the line while also still piecing together an intricate mythology. The next two installments tried to follow up on this bigger scope with less memorable characters, a goofier depiction of Captain Jack, and squeezing the reunion of Will (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) into Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017).
Even with the first movie’s smaller number of settings and cast, it feels like an epic story. Port Royal is a place of order to parallel the utter chaos of Tortuga. The various ships that sail to reach the cave of cursed Aztec gold is a simpler quest than reaching World’s End or parting the seas to find the Trident of Poseidon. Curse of the Black Pearl has a clever story choice where it enters the cave twice, first to have Will and Elizabeth switch places as a captive of Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), then a return to set off a final battle with loyalties aligned. Spectacular pirate set pieces can only work if audiences are rooting for the characters.
‘The Curse of the Black Pearl’ Had a Stronger Batch of Characters
The fourth and fifth Potc movies tried their hand at romance, but it wasn’t as satisfying as the journey that Elizabeth and Will endured. In the first movie alone, they have a complete arc of overcoming obstacles in their love story; this is before it gets stretched out and complicated in the sequels. Although Captain Jack may be brought back, the upcoming two movies should take advantage of a new slate. One is a reboot, and the other is a spin-off that would involve Margot Robbie. Two potential new installments could induce franchise fatigue, but if done right, they could bring new adventures in the unique world The Curse of the Black Pearl introduced. The fantasy put into pirate lore has been a highlight of this series, and it just needs to find the right balance.
A New ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Movie Should Bring More Restraint to Its Fantasy Elements
The Flying Dutchman is encased in sea life, a maelstrom turns into a titanic showdown, and Javier Bardem as a ghost whose appearance resembles one floating underwater. The inventive designs in Potc are unlike anything seen before, and it’s something that shouldn’t be left out of a new movie. Curse of the Black Pearl wasn’t as elaborate, with imagery that is just as startling and strange in Barbossa’s crew turning into skeletons under the moonlight. The visual effects, like the story, just don’t need to be excessive. It also can’t hurt to have a singular vision behind the production, like what director Mountains Verbinski brought to the trilogy.
With Pirates of the Caribbean not facing any competition from other pirate blockbusters, the movie series could make its return to the big screen feel well-earned if it does it right. A tighter story is a must to anchor the imaginative mythology. A smaller quest can have big stakes, as Curse of the Black Pearl has proved, without the need for all-out war or overly complicating the motives behind its pirates. If not one but two new installments of this seafaring franchise are going to be made, whoever is behind them should rewatch the 2003 film and take notes.
