Pirates of The Caribbean in Order: How to Watch Pirates of the Caribbean Movies In Order

For the time being, check out our guide to watching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies in order.

Pirates of The Caribbean in Order: How to Watch Pirates of the Caribbean Movies In Order
How to Watch Pirates of the Caribbean Movies In Order

HOW TO WATCH PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN MOVIES IN ORDER

Beginning with 2003's The Curse of the Black Pearl, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise catapulted Johnny Depp into superstardom and reintroduced pirates to the cultural spotlight. Set sail with Captain Jack Sparrow and his two lovely assistants Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner (Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom) towards Dead Man's Chest and At World's End if you want to watch the Pirates ofthe Caribbean movies in order.

With that trilogy completed, the series continued with On Stranger Tides and Dead Men Tell No Tales, which continued Jack's adventures. In the years since a sixth film has been in the works, and Disney announced a spin-off starring Margot Robbie in June 2020. For the time being, check out our guide to watching the Pirates ofthe Caribbean movies in order.

Also Read: Pirates ofthe Caribbean: Throughout the films, Jack Sparrow...

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003)

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003) 91techinfo.com

Critics Consensus: Like the theme park ride that inspired it, it may leave you exhausted, but you'll have a good time once it's over.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley
Directed By: Gore Verbinski

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl was the first film to feature Jack Sparrow and his motley crew of unlikely companions. We follow the blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Captain Jack as their goals align when Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightley) is taken aboard the Black Pearl as the introduction to these characters takes place on the screen.

As the film progresses, the audience is welcomed into the mysterious world of the open seas, where they are confronted with their first supernatural threat. For good reason, this film is widely regarded as the best in the series. 

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST (2006)

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST (2006) 91techinfo.com

Critics Consensus: Depp's unpredictable nature, as well as much of the humor and originality of the first film, is no longer present.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Bill Nighy
Directed By: Gore Verbinski

While Captain Jack's backstory was explored in Curse of the Black Pearl, Will Turner's origins are explored in Dead Man's Chest. It introduced us to his father, Bootstrap Bill (Stellan Skarsgård), who is sworn to serve aboard the Flying Dutchman, a legendary ship captained by Davy Jones, the legendary ruler of the seven seas and commander of the fearsome Kraken. 

Dead Man's Chest is the first installment of a two-part story that will be concluded in the second installment. While the film focuses on Will, it also provides viewers with a better understanding of pirate society and the code that they follow. 

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END (2007)

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END (2007) 91techinfo.com

Critics Consensus: POTC: AWE has thrilling action scenes, but there are too many characters and plot threads to keep track of.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush
Directed By: Gore Verbinski
After the foundation laid by Dead Man's Chest, At World's End set out to wrap up the story centered on the Flying Dutchman, and it did so in style. With a climactic battle between ships, the film comes to a close, perfectly wrapping up the story of its characters. At the time of the film's release in 2007, it didn't appear that any further additions to the overall story would be required; however, the story of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan was dug up later, much to the dismay of many fans. 

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES (2011)

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES (2011) 91techinfo.com

Critics Consensus: This Pirates is shorter and leaner than the previous sequel, but it's still bogged down by a disjointed plot and a never-ending barrage of loud action sequences.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush
Directed By: Rob Marshall

As previously stated, the overarching narrative of the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films concluded with At World's End, so the release of On Stranger Tides appeared to be a standalone story. On Stranger Tides, based on the ideas presented in its predecessors and starring everyone's favorite pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, tells the story of his pursuit of love and his encounter with the feared pirate Blackbeard.

Aside from Depp's and Ian McShane's (who plays Blackbeard) expectedly stellar performances, On Stranger Tides struggled with a disjointed story and serious pacing issues. This film began a downward trend in the franchise that would last for the rest of the series. 

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (2017)

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (2017) 91techinfo.com

Critics Consensus: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales demonstrates that a change of directors and an undead Javier Bardem are insufficient to drain the murky bilge of this sinking franchise.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites
Directed By: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg
Dead Men Tell No Tales is set to be released in 2017, and it appears to be the final installment in the Jack Sparrow franchise starring Johnny Depp. Captain Jack is pitted against a nemesis from his past, this time in the form of Captain Salazar, in this film. Sparrow seeks out the fabled Trident of Poseidon as his only hope of surviving, and in the process runs into former crewmates, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann.

The film received a lot of backlash after it was released, particularly for their decision to bring Will and Elizabeth back into the story. Dead Men Tell No Tales is widely regarded as the series' worst film, and its critical reception may have been the final nail in the franchise's coffin. 

Fans who still want to give Disney one last chance to resurrect the series will be relieved to learn that, despite star Johnny Depp's public departure, the studio has plans to produce another installment.