The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is arguably one of the most popular Disney franchise films, behind Marvel and Star Wars, of course. The franchise stars big names such as Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Penélope Cruz, and Keira Knightley and has received a number of award nominations, including ones for the Academy Awards, People’s Choice, and Golden Globes. While the films have earned their fair share of awards, they also cost their fair share of money to produce. Two of the films in the franchise are some of the most expensive movies ever made, with Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides coming in at number 1.

As the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise progressed, their popularity diminished, but those who are loyal to the franchise have pushed the films enough for a sixth installment. Indeed, though an upcoming sixth installment has been announced, not much is known at this time, including whether Depp will reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow. At this time, the film is in pre-production, so while we await more news about the release, let’s revisit every Pirates of the Caribbean movie in the Disney franchise, ranked.

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5 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Captain Jack Sparrow is no stranger to having people want to kill him. In the fifth installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, his foes are Captain Salazar and his crew of deadly ghosts who have escaped from the Devil’s Triangle. When a boy comes to Sparrow asking for his help to find the Trident of Poseidon, he realizes he may be able to solve his Captain Salazar problem.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

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Viewers were able to appreciate this film, but felt that it fell short of its potential. The addition of Kaya Scodelario, Brenton Thwaites, and Javier Bardem was welcomed to the series and brought forward the opportunity for new storylines, which we hope to see more of in the sixth film.

4 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

     Disney

The fourth installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, revolves around the search for the Fountain of Youth. Our favorite captain duo of Jack Sparrow and Barbosa are back again, this time teaming up with Angelica, played by Penélope Cruz, who may or not be both the love of Jack Sparrow’s life and a con artist. The trio finds themselves up against Blackbeard and his daughter who is also after the Fountain of Youth.

After losing both Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, fans were initially wondering how the franchise would fill their shoes. As always Penélope Cruz did not disappoint. Unfortunately for the franchise, her performance was one of the few redeeming qualities. She was able to expertly match up with Depp’s Jack Sparrow in a way that helped the movie believe in a love match for Sparrow.

3 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

     Walt Disney Pictures

After the second film left Jack Sparrow “dead,” Captain Barbosa, Elizabeth, and Will Turner sail to the end of the world to rescue him from the land of the dead. With the newly reduced Sparrow in tow, the group faces against Lord Beckett, who has seized control of Davy Jones’ heart and therefore his army. Knowing they are outnumbered, the group calls on the Pirate Lords to help release Calypso and beat Beckett.

As the third installment to an already successful franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean:At World’s End had a lot to live up to. With a run time coming in at almost three hours, many viewers felt the film lacked a creative plot and was borderline chaotic. While that is a bit of an exaggeration, the film could have focused a little less on the humor and more on tying up plot lines. Despite its mixed reviews, the film was still nominated for two Oscars.

2 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

     Walt Disney Studios

Captain Jack Sparrow is up against a new foe to whom he owes a debt. Davy Jones, of Davy Jones Locker, captains a ghostly ship called the Flying Dutchman that is complete with a crew from hell. Jones is a heartless villain who demands his debt paid. Jack Sparrow enlists the help of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan to find Davy Jones’ heart so that he can control the Dutchman and escape his fate. To make matters worse, Will is at odds when he is forced to steal Sparrow’s compass to save Elizabeth and himself from Lord Beckett’s hanging sentence.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest was the much-anticipated sequel after the success of the first film. It was nominated for four Oscars, winning one for Best Achievement in Visual Effects. Viewers also agreed with this Oscar win stating the CGI was top-notch, but they felt the film was a little too long. It was interesting, however, to see a thrilling story about the myth of Davy Jones Locker.

1 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

     Via: Walt Disney Pictures

A blacksmith, Will Turner, and a drunken eccentric pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, team up as an unlikely pair to save Elizabeth, the daughter of the governor and the love of Will’s life. Elizabeth, played by Keira Knightley, was captured by Captain Barbosa and his undead crew who suffer from the Curse placed on them by Aztec gold. The crew needs a Turner to lift the curse, so, thinking Elizabeth is a Turner after she lied about her name, they kidnap her to use as part of the blood sacrifice — that is, unless Will and Sparrow can save her in time.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearlis the perfect mix of adventure and love story. The film went on to inspire a successful franchise and even had its own ride at Disney World in Florida. It received five Oscar nominations, including Best Actor in a Lead Role for Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow. The film itself was a success thanks to character chemistry, fun and adventurous storyline, and comedic undertones.