Pirates
on Screen
BLOCKBUSTER & CONTEMPORARY PIRATE FILMS
Pirates of the Caribbean is a Disney media franchise encompassing a series of movies, numerous theme park attractions and spin-off novels, as well as a number of related video games and other media publications.
The first movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl which was released in 2003, was expected by critics to be a flop as it was based on a theme park ride, and the pirate film genre had not been popular for some years. However, the film exceeded all expectations and became both a critical and commercial success.
All five films in the series were distributed by Walt Disney Productions and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.
The films were directed by Gore Verbinski (1-3), Rob Marshall (4) and Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg (5).
As of April 2017, the film franchise had grossed over 3.7 billion US dollars worldwide, putting it eleventh in the list of all-time highest grossing franchises and film series. It is also the first franchise where more than one film grossed $1 billion worldwide.
The franchise originated with the Pirates of the Caribbean theme ride attraction based on pirate legends and folklore, which opened at Disneyland, California in 1967. It was the last attraction that Walt Disney himself participated in designing, though he didn’t live to see it complete as he died just three months before its opening.
Originally envisaged as a walk-through wax museum attraction, following the success of the boat ride concept of their own It’s a Small World ride, Disney decided to employ a similar concept for Pirates of the Caribbean.
As of May 2017, the Pirates of the Caribbean attractions can be found at five Disney theme parks around the world.
“My agent called and said, ‘How do you feel about a pirate movie? I mean, how often are you going to get that call? I used to love watching ‘Captain Blood’, ‘The Crimson Pirate’, all the old classics. There is something about piracy that speaks to the child within: it’s a rebellion distilled. Yet, if you look at cinema history, the pirate genre had its heyday and then vanished. I knew I was heading into dangerous waters, but when else would I get the chance?”
Gore Verbinksi,
Director of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
“My agent called and said, ‘How do you feel about a pirate movie? I mean, how often are you going to get that call? I used to love watching ‘Captain Blood’, ‘The Crimson Pirate’, all the old classics. There is something about piracy that speaks to the child within: it’s a rebellion distilled. Yet, if you look at cinema history, the pirate genre had its heyday and then vanished. I knew I was heading into dangerous waters, but when else would I get the chance?”
Gore Verbinksi,
Director of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
In 2001, Disney commissioned Jay Wolpert to write a script based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Once Jerry Bruckheimer became involved, he rejected Wolpert’s initial screenplay because it was just a “straight pirate movie” and Stuart Beattie was brought in to rewrite the script in 2002.
Bruckheimer later called upon Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio to work on the script and having been inspired by the opening narration of the ride, they brought the element of the supernatural laced with lots of humour, which gave the story an edge.
In May 2002, Gore Verbinksi was hired to direct the first film. Verbinski was attracted to the idea of using modern technology to resurrect a genre that had disappeared after the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Bruckheimer stressed that this wasn’t going to be a conventional pirate movie, especially if Johnny Depp took the lead role of the eccentric pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. Depp was said to have been attracted to the story because of its quirkiness. Instead of trying to find treasure, the crew of the Black Pearl were trying to return it to lift the curse they were under.
Filming of The Curse of the Black Pearl began on 9th October 2002 and ended on 7th March 2003, with the film being released on 9th July.
In 2001, Disney commissioned Jay Wolpert to write a script based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Once Jerry Bruckheimer became involved, he rejected Wolpert’s initial screenplay because it was just a “straight pirate movie” and Stuart Beattie was brought in to rewrite the script in 2002.
Bruckheimer later called upon Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio to work on the script and having been inspired by the opening narration of the ride, they brought the element of the supernatural laced with lots of humour, which gave the story an edge.
In May 2002, Gore Verbinksi was hired to direct the first film. Verbinski was attracted to the idea of using modern technology to resurrect a genre that had disappeared after the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Bruckheimer stressed that this wasn’t going to be a conventional pirate movie, especially if Johnny Depp took the lead role of the eccentric pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. Depp was said to have been attracted to the story because of its quirkiness. Instead of trying to find treasure, the crew of the Black Pearl were trying to return it to lift the curse they were under.
Filming of The Curse of the Black Pearl began on 9th October 2002 and ended on 7th March 2003, with the film being released on 9th July.
Following the unexpected success of the first film, Disney signed Verbinksi, Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley to two sequels, which would be shot simultaneously.
The scriptwriters, Elliot and Rossio, decided to explore well-known pirate mythology by introducing Davy Jones and the Flying Dutchman, as well as the Kraken. Production of the sequels: Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End was much larger than for that of the first movie, with fully-functioning ships being used, including the galleon The Black Pearl, which was built over the body of an oil tanker in Alabama.
After the very successful opening weekend of At World’s End, Disney decided to produce a fourth instalment. Scriptwriters Elliot and Rossio used Tim Powers’ novel On Stranger Tides as a basis for the fourth film, and the pair further explored pirate lore and history, adding zombies and mermaids to the story.
It was decided that this film should be a standalone story rather than a continuation of the trilogy which had already tied up all the loose ends with At World’s End. The villain Blackbeard was added, portrayed by Ian McShane, alongside a new female protagonist, Blackbeard’s daughter, played by Penelope Cruz. Gore Verbinski was unavailable due to commitments elsewhere, so Jerry Bruckheimer and Johnny Depp chose Rob Marshall to direct the film.
On 13th January 2011, Terry Rossio was confirmed to write the screenplay for the fifth film, but this time without his writing partner Ted Elliot. The title of the film, Dead Men Tell No Tales, alludes to the well-known line from the original Pirates of the Caribbean Disney attraction. The film was shot exclusively in Australia, with Port Douglas being used as one of the main filming locations. It is the largest production to ever shoot in the country.
Following the unexpected success of the first film, Disney signed Verbinksi, Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley to two sequels, which would be shot simultaneously.
The scriptwriters, Elliot and Rossio, decided to explore well-known pirate mythology by introducing Davy Jones and the Flying Dutchman, as well as the Kraken. Production of the sequels: Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End was much larger than for that of the first movie, with fully-functioning ships being used, including the galleon The Black Pearl, which was built over the body of an oil tanker in Alabama.
After the very successful opening weekend of At World’s End, Disney decided to produce a fourth instalment. Scriptwriters Elliot and Rossio used Tim Powers’ novel On Stranger Tides as a basis for the fourth film, and the pair further explored pirate lore and history, adding zombies and mermaids to the story.
It was decided that this film should be a standalone story rather than a continuation of the trilogy which had already tied up all the loose ends with At World’s End. The villain Blackbeard was added, portrayed by Ian McShane, alongside a new female protagonist, Blackbeard’s daughter, played by Penelope Cruz. Gore Verbinski was unavailable due to commitments elsewhere, so Jerry Bruckheimer and Johnny Depp chose Rob Marshall to direct the film.
On 13th January 2011, Terry Rossio was confirmed to write the screenplay for the fifth film, but this time without his writing partner Ted Elliot. The title of the film, Dead Men Tell No Tales, alludes to the well-known line from the original Pirates of the Caribbean Disney attraction. The film was shot exclusively in Australia, with Port Douglas being used as one of the main filming locations. It is the largest production to ever shoot in the country.
The Curse of the Black Pearl 2003
Will Turner, a resourceful blacksmith, finds an unlikely ally in eccentric pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. They both set off to save Elizabeth Swann, the Governor’s daughter and the love of Will’s life, who has been captured by the evil and feared Captain Barbossa and his crew of treacherous pirates.
Dead Man’s Chest
2006
Captain Jack Sparrow owes a debt to Davy Jones, who captains the Flying Dutchman, a ghostly ship with a villainous crew. Facing the “locker” if he does not pay this debt, he enlists the help of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann to help him find the heart of Davy Jones.
At World’s End
2007
Lord Beckett is now executing his plans to extinguish piracy forever. Taking a stand against him, Will, Elizabeth, Barbossa, and the crew of the Black Pearl set out to rescue Captain Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones’ Locker. As one of the Nine Pirate Lords, Jack is needed in order to summon an ancient goddess with the power to defeat Beckett’s forces.
On Stranger Tides
2011
Jack Sparrow is on a quest to find the fabled Fountain of Youth when he crosses paths with a former lover, Angelica. She forces Jack aboard her ship, which is captained by the infamous pirate Blackbeard, her father. They are both also in search of the Fountain, as is the former pirate captain Barbossa.
Dead Men Tell No Tales 2017
Deadly ghost pirates led by Jack Sparrow’s old nemesis, the terrifying Capitán Salazar, escape from the Devil’s Triangle determined to kill every pirate at sea, including Jack himself. Captain Jack’s only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artefact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas.
The Curse of the Black Pearl 2003
Will Turner, a resourceful blacksmith, finds an unlikely ally in eccentric pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. They both set off to save Elizabeth Swann, the Governor’s daughter and the love of Will’s life, who has been captured by the evil and feared Captain Barbossa and his crew of treacherous pirates.
Dead Man’s Chest
2006
Captain Jack Sparrow owes a debt to Davy Jones, who captains the Flying Dutchman, a ghostly ship with a villainous crew. Facing the “locker” if he does not pay this debt, he enlists the help of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann to help him find the heart of Davy Jones.
At World’s End
2007
Lord Beckett is now executing his plans to extinguish piracy forever. Taking a stand against him, Will, Elizabeth, Barbossa, and the crew of the Black Pearl set out to rescue Captain Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones’ Locker. As one of the Nine Pirate Lords, Jack is needed in order to summon an ancient goddess with the power to defeat Beckett’s forces.
On Stranger Tides
2011
Jack Sparrow is on a quest to find the fabled Fountain of Youth when he crosses paths with a former lover, Angelica. She forces Jack aboard her ship, which is captained by the infamous pirate Blackbeard, her father. They are both also in search of the Fountain, as is the former pirate captain Barbossa.
Dead Men Tell No Tales 2017
Deadly ghost pirates led by Jack Sparrow’s old nemesis, the terrifying Capitán Salazar, escape from the Devil’s Triangle determined to kill every pirate at sea, including Jack himself. Captain Jack’s only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artefact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas.
A constant character in all the films, Captain Jack Sparrow is a free-spirited, eccentric and calculating pirate captain played by Johnny Depp. Depp famously used a combination of The Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards, and womanising cartoon skunk Pepé Le Pew as the inspiration for his character. Keith Richards actually appeared as Jack’s father in the third and fourth films.
Being a Disney franchise, the films are littered with hidden Mickey Mouse heads. For example, in The Curse of the Black Pearl, smoke from one of the cannons forms the iconic shape, and in Dead Man’s Chest, one of the alternate Jack Sparrows has a Mickey tattoo on his shoulder. In At World’s End, a richly detailed pirate map shows an illustration of Mickey Mouse hidden amongst other mythical animals.
When the first Disneyland attraction was built, realistic replica skeletons were difficult to find, so it was furnished with real human skeletons, loaned from UCLA medical centre. The real skeleton bodies and heads were later returned, all except one! Supposedly given to Walt Disney by a friend, the remaining human skull can be seen today above the Captain’s bed, where it has remained part of the ride throughout the years.
The first movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl had its premiere in Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort in California on 28th June 2003. It was the home of the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and was the first ever movie premiere at Disneyland.
The name ‘Barbossa’ is thought to have been derived from the real Turkish pirate ‘Barbarossa’. Also known as ‘Redbeard’, Barbarossa was active in the Aegean and the Mediterranean seas before he became a fleet admiral of the Ottoman Empire Navy.
A constant character in all the films, Captain Jack Sparrow is a free-spirited, eccentric and calculating pirate captain played by Johnny Depp. Depp famously used a combination of The Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards, and womanising cartoon skunk Pepé Le Pew as the inspiration for his character. Keith Richards actually appeared as Jack’s father in the third and fourth films.
Being a Disney franchise, the films are littered with hidden Mickey Mouse heads. For example, in The Curse of the Black Pearl, smoke from one of the cannons forms the iconic shape, and in Dead Man’s Chest, one of the alternate Jack Sparrows has a Mickey tattoo on his shoulder. In At World’s End, a richly detailed pirate map shows an illustration of Mickey Mouse hidden amongst other mythical animals.
When the first Disneyland attraction was built, realistic replica skeletons were difficult to find, so it was furnished with real human skeletons, loaned from UCLA medical centre. The real skeleton bodies and heads were later returned, all except one! Supposedly given to Walt Disney by a friend, the remaining human skull can be seen today above the Captain’s bed, where it has remained part of the ride throughout the years.
The first movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl had its premiere in Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort in California on 28th June 2003. It was the home of the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and was the first ever movie premiere at Disneyland.
The name ‘Barbossa’ is thought to have been derived from the real Turkish pirate ‘Barbarossa’. Also known as ‘Redbeard’, Barbarossa was active in the Aegean and the Mediterranean seas before he became a fleet admiral of the Ottoman Empire Navy.
Stories of piracy still inspire today’s filmakers, as both factual and fictional works continue to be produced for today’s audience.
A 2013 American film starring Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi, and directed by Paul Greengrass. The film is inspired by the true story of the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking.
On 8th April 2009, four Somali pirates boarded the cargo ship Maersk Alabama, captained by Captain Richard Phillips, off the Somali coast. When the crew attempted to exchange one of the pirates they had captured for their captain, the pirates refused to honour the agreement after the crew released their captive. Captain Richard Phillips escorted the pirates to a lifeboat in order to show them how to use it, but they fled with him inside and held him as hostage. What followed were five harrowing days until Phillips was rescued by the U.S. Navy on 12th April. Afterwards, Phillips was hailed as a hero for saving the ship and his crew.
It was the first successful pirate seizure of a ship registered under the American flag since the early 19th century. Three of the four pirates – all aged between 17 and 19 years old – were shot dead by the U.S. Navy as they believed Phillips’ life was in danger. The surviving pirate was flown to the U.S. for trial where he received a prison sentence of 33 years and nine months.
The captain went on to write a book, A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, which would become the basis of the movie.
The last wave of Somalia piracy peaked in 2011 with 176 attacks, however it has declined again, which is thought mainly to be due to an increased foreign naval presence and industry precautions being put in place, such as posting armed guards, following certain safer routes and moving quicker when passing through problem areas.
In 2009 the owners of the Maersk Alabama donated the bullet-marked 5-ton fibreglass lifeboat, in which the pirates held Captain Phillips hostage, to the National Navy Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida.
A 2013 American film starring Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi, and directed by Paul Greengrass. The film is inspired by the true story of the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking.
On 8th April 2009, four Somali pirates boarded the cargo ship Maersk Alabama, captained by Captain Richard Phillips, off the Somali coast. When the crew attempted to exchange one of the pirates they had captured for their captain, the pirates refused to honour the agreement after the crew released their captive. Captain Richard Phillips escorted the pirates to a lifeboat in order to show them how to use it, but they fled with him inside and held him as hostage. What followed were five harrowing days until Phillips was rescued by the U.S. Navy on 12th April. Afterwards, Phillips was hailed as a hero for saving the ship and his crew.
It was the first successful pirate seizure of a ship registered under the American flag since the early 19th century. Three of the four pirates – all aged between 17 and 19 years old – were shot dead by the U.S. Navy as they believed Phillips’ life was in danger. The surviving pirate was flown to the U.S. for trial where he received a prison sentence of 33 years and nine months.
The captain went on to write a book, A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, which would become the basis of the movie.
The last wave of Somalia piracy peaked in 2011 with 176 attacks, however it has declined again, which is thought mainly to be due to an increased foreign naval presence and industry precautions being put in place, such as posting armed guards, following certain safer routes and moving quicker when passing through problem areas.
In 2009 the owners of the Maersk Alabama donated the bullet-marked 5-ton fibreglass lifeboat, in which the pirates held Captain Phillips hostage, to the National Navy Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Further Viewing
Fishing Without Nets, 2014
A feature length documentary exploring the Somali pirates’ point of view, letting us into their world of Somali fisher-folk who have no other choice but to turn to sea piracy in order to make a living.
A Hijacking, 2012
A Danish movie centred around the hijacking of a freight ship by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. The drama follows two of the hostages and the ongoing tense negotiations between the pirates and the ship’s owner.
Stolen Seas, 2012
A documentary following the two months a 13-man crew is held at the mercy of Somali pirates. As hostage negotiations threaten their lives, cameras capture every move, and the human cost of the actions of those involved.
The Somali Project, 2013
For 18 months, a film crew risk life and limb to document a secret Western mission to create a private band of pirate hunters in lawless Somalia. From hijacked oil tankers, to pirate prisons and murder, almost everything is captured on tape.
Fishing Without Nets, 2014
A feature length documentary exploring the Somali pirates’ point of view, letting us into their world of Somali fisher-folk who have no other choice but to turn to sea piracy in order to make a living.
A Hijacking, 2012
A Danish movie centred around the hijacking of a freight ship by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. The drama follows two of the hostages and the ongoing tense negotiations between the pirates and the ship’s owner.
Stolen Seas, 2012
A documentary following the two months a 13-man crew is held at the mercy of Somali pirates. As hostage negotiations threaten their lives, cameras capture every move, and the human cost of the actions of those involved.
The Somali Project, 2013
For 18 months, a film crew risk life and limb to document a secret Western mission to create a private band of pirate hunters in lawless Somalia. From hijacked oil tankers, to pirate prisons and murder, almost everything is captured on tape.
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