Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Order: Swashbuckling Adventures from Start to Finish

Embark on epic high-sea adventures with the Pirates of the Caribbean series! Watch chronologically or by release date. Get ready to sail!

By Khushi Srivastava

Updated on Jul 23, 2023 | 01:02 AM IST | 6M

Pirates of the carribean order

Pirates of the Caribbean, a rare gem inspired by a Disneyland ride, set sail in 2003, becoming an instant hit. Five films and a short masterpiece later, this fantasy swashbuckler franchise has raked in over $5 billion worldwide. Praise pours in for its visuals, Hans Zimmer's iconic score, and the stellar cast, led by Johnny Depp's beloved Captain Jack Sparrow. With familiar faces reprising roles, like Geoffrey Rush's Hector Barbossa and Orlando Bloom's Will Turner, each adventure enthrals. Now, as the sixth installment awaits, embark on an epic journey, following our guide to the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Ahoy, mateys! Let the Disney+ marathon begin!

Pirates of the Caribbean Movies in Order of Release Date

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – July 9, 2003

2. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest – July 7, 2006

3. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End – May 25, 2007

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – May 20, 2011

5. Tales of the Code: Wedlocked – 2011

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales – May 26, 2017

Pirates of the Caribbean Movies in Chronological Order

Tales of the Code: Wedlocked (2011)

Genre: Adventure/Action
Star Cast: John Vickery, Vanessa Branch, Lauren Maher, David Bailie, Walter Williamson, The Rich Pirate.
Director: James Ward Byrkit
Writer: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie
Run time: 10 minutes
Year of release: 2011
OTT Platform: NA
IMDb rating: 6.8/10

In this short film, Scarlett and Giselle, played by Lauren Maher and Vanessa Branch, plan weddings for each other. However, they discover that their groom is the same man – Jack Sparrow. This story happens before the events of The Curse of the Black Pearl. It explains why Jack's boat, Jolly Mon, sinks in the first movie, why Scarlett and Giselle are angry with him, and how Cotton loses his tongue. It serves as a prequel to the main movie series.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Genre: Adventure/Action
Star Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport
Director: Gore Verbinski
Writer: Gore Verbinski
Run time: 2h 23m
Year of release: 2003
OTT Platform: Hotstar
IMDb rating: 8.1/10

“The Curse of the Black Pearl” is the first movie in the franchise. It introduces us to Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Hector Barbossa, and Elizabeth Swann. The story is about Will Turner, a blacksmith and the son of a pirate named "Bootstrap" Bill Turner. He teams up with the quirky Jack Sparrow to save Elizabeth Swann, the woman he loves. Elizabeth is taken by Barbossa, Jack's former first mate, who now commands the cursed ship, Black Pearl. The crew of the Black Pearl turns into undead beings under the moonlight. The ship was originally Jack's, but Barbossa stole it along with cursed gold coins, leaving Jack stranded on an island.

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

Genre: Adventure/Action
Star Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Bill Nighy, Jonathan Pryce, Lee Arenberg, Mackenzie Crook.
Director: Gore Verbinski
Writer: Gore Verbinski
Run time: 2h 30m
Year of release: 2006
OTT Platform: Hotstar
IMDb rating: 7.3/10

In the second movie, the story continues directly from the first one. Will and Elizabeth are back together and planning to get married. But their wedding is disrupted by Lord Cutler Beckett, who represents the powerful East India Trading Company. He accuses them of helping Jack Sparrow and has them arrested.

To be pardoned, Will is offered a deal by Beckett. He must find Jack's magical compass, locate the Dead Man's Chest, and retrieve the heart of Davy Jones. Beckett wants these items to control the seas entirely.

However, Jack has his own problems. He owes a debt to Davy Jones and must serve on Jones' ship, the Flying Dutchman. Jack wants the chest to escape this debt, and Will's deal with Beckett makes things even more complicated for him.

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

Genre: Adventure/Action
Star Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Bill Nighy, Jonathan Pryce, Lee Arenberg.
Director: Gore Verbinski
Writer: Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio
Run time: 2h 49m
Year of release: 2007
OTT Platform: Hotstar
IMDb rating: 7.1/10

In the third movie, Will, Elizabeth, Barbossa, and their crew need to save Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones’ Locker. Lord Beckett now controls Davy Jones and wants to end piracy. To stop Beckett, Jack must be rescued and awaken an ancient goddess.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

Genre: Adventure/Action
Star Cast: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane, Kevin McNally, Sam Claflin, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Stephen Graham.
Director: Rob Marshall
Writer: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio
Run time: 2h 17m
Year of release: 2011
OTT Platform: Hotstar
IMDb rating: 6.6/10

In this movie, Captain Jack Sparrow embarks on a dangerous quest, based on the novel "On Stranger Tides" by Tim Powers. He joins forces with his former lover, Angelica (played by Penélope Cruz), to find the magical Fountain of Youth. Their goal is to save Angelica's father, the infamous Blackbeard (played by Ian McShane). But they face a new enemy—Barbossa, now in the Royal Navy, who is also after the Fountain of Youth. Notable characters like Will, Elizabeth, and Davy Jones are not part of this installment. Get ready for an action-packed adventure on the high seas!

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

Genre: Adventure/Action
Star Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, Orlando Bloom, Brenton Thwaites.
Director: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg
Writer: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio
Run time: 2h 9m
Year of release: 2017
OTT Platform: Hotstar
IMDb rating: 6.5/10

In the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Dead Men Tell No Tales, we meet Henry Turner, who is Will Turner's son. Henry's father is cursed, and he learns that the only way to break it is by finding the Trident of Poseidon, a powerful mythical artifact that controls the seas and everything related to them.

Henry wants to seek Captain Jack Sparrow's help in finding the Trident, but Jack keeps avoiding him. At the same time, Captain Armando Salazar, an old enemy of Jack, returns from the dead with a mission to kill all pirates, especially Jack, for revenge. Jack and Barbossa join forces to save their ships and crews, and they are joined by a new ally, Carina Smyth.

In this movie, we also see brief appearances from Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and Gibbs, revisiting their roles from previous films.

Also read: Wolverine movies: How to Watch the Wolverine Movies in Chronological and Release Order