Ranking Every ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Movie — Where Does Your Favorite Rank?

For millions of people across the globe, summer is almost synonymous with a seafaring beach trip to the Caribbean.

For most, that might mean the chance to relax and unwind beneath the swaying palm trees of Aruba, Jamaica, or the Bahamas. For a select few others, it might mean the chance to revisit certain Caribbean-themed blockbuster films – such as, for example, the fan-favorite Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Spanning five successful films, Pirates of the Caribbean has long since become one of the leading action franchises of the 21st century. While it’s unknown whether we’ll ever see a subsequent film featuring Johnny Depp’s swaggering buccaneer captain, at the very least, we’ll always be able to enjoy the hit Disney franchise as it is, allowing us each to live out our greatest fantasies surrounding pirates, mermaids, sea monsters, zombie and folkloric figures from urban legends.

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

The fifth and most recent entry in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Dead Men Tell No Tales is that rare film where you actually feel minutes ticking by as you impatiently wait for the end credits. Possessing neither the intelligence nor charm of its earlier installments, it’s a bland, poorly-paced, poorly-plotted, egregiously poor excuse for a POTC swashbuckler, seemingly ending the series with a simmer rather than a bang.

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

Upon its initial release in 2011, many felt On Stranger Tides did little to advance the overall story of POTC, describing it less as a Pirates film and more as a desperate cash-grab built around Depp’s Jack Sparrow. Years later, however, it’s become clear that, in spite of its obvious faults, On Stranger Tides has enough inventive thrills to keep viewers watching, be it in the form of its voodoo-controlled zombies, ravenous mermaids, or fearsome iteration of Blackbeard.

3. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)

The second act of the POTC’s Davy Jones story arc, audiences tend to take wildly contrasting views of At World’s End’s main storyline. On the one hand, some viewers see it as the ultimate send-off for the original POTC cast, pitting the crews of the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman together in an explosive, all-out final battle. Conversely, some view it as an oversized fantasy epic hampered by too many characters and not enough cohesive story to justify its whopping three hour length. No matter what, though, At World’s End delivers where it matters most, concluding Jack, Will, and Elizabeth’s collective story on an entertaining final note.

2. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

Dead Man’s Chest had its hands full when it arrived in 2006. Struggling to soar to the same heights as its earlier, series-defining predecessor The Curse of the Black Pearl, it also had to establish a new, multi-film story arc with the introduction of Davy Jones and the power-hungry East India Trading Company. Though far from perfect, Dead Man’s Chest nevertheless finds a way to craft an even larger storyline built around Jack, Will, Elizabeth, and the ragtag crew of the Black Pearl – even if it’s seldom as memorable as its precursor.

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

Nowadays, it’s easy to forget just how important The Curse of the Black Pearl was for redefining not only pirate films, but Disney movies themselves. Weaving together an extensive number of references to the original attraction it’s based upon, The Curse of the Black Pearl managed to make pirates bold, exciting, and imaginatively charismatic again, establishing Jack Sparrow in the same nautical breath as Long John Silver or Captain Hook. An atmospheric adventure film that continues to age like a bottle of fortified rum, it’s quite possibly the very best non-animated Disney film the studio has ever released, full stop.