Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

In the early 18th century, Governor Weatherby Swann and his daughter, Elizabeth, sail aboard HMS Dauntless with Lieutenant Norrington and his crew. They recover a shipwreck survivor, a boy named Will Turner. Elizabeth notices a gold medallion around Will's neck and afraid of Norrington mistaking him for a pirate she takes it, before seeing a ghost ship sailing away. Eight years later in Port Royal, Jamaica, Norrington is promoted to commodore. While the promotion ceremony is taking place, the pirate captain Jack Sparrow arrives in Port Royal. After the ceremony, Norrington proposes to Elizabeth. Due to her tight-fitting corset, she faints and falls into the ocean, which causes the medallion she is carrying to emit a pulse. Jack rescues Elizabeth before escaping from Norrington, who has identified him as a pirate. Will encounters Jack and duels him until Jack is captured and imprisoned.

That night, Port Royal is attacked by the pirate crew of the Black Pearl, the ship Elizabeth saw years earlier. The pirates are searching for the medallion, and take Elizabeth aboard the ship to meet Captain Barbossa. He explains that the medallion is one of 882 gold pieces used to bribe Hernán Cortés to stop his slaughter of the Aztecs. Because of Cortés's greed, the Aztec gods placed a curse upon the gold. Barbossa's crew found the gold at Isla de Muerta, but they became undead zombies after spending it. To lift the curse, the crew must return all the gold with an offering of blood from each member. The only member whose blood hasn't been paid yet is "Bootstrap Bill", who was lost to the sea. Barbossa intends to use Elizabeth's blood for the ritual, as he believes her to be Bootstrap's child that he gave the last gold piece to.

Will frees Jack to save Elizabeth, and they fake a theft of the Dauntless, prompting Norrington to chase them on HMS Interceptor. They sneak onto the Interceptor and escape to Tortuga to recruit a crew from Joshamee Gibbs. Gibbs reveals Jack's past as the Pearl captain and that first mate Barbossa betrayed him and left him stranded on a deserted island. He also reveals that Jack has kept his single shot pistol, given to him to commit suicide while marooned, to shoot Barbossa. On Isla de Muerta, they enter the treasure grotto where Barbossa fails to lift the curse using Elizabeth's blood. Will and Elizabeth escape with a medallion, but Jack is captured and imprisoned on the Pearl. A battle erupts between the ships. Will surrenders when he learns his bloodline belongs to his father, Bootstrap Bill, in order to free Elizabeth. Barbossa destroys the Interceptor, captures its crew, and leaves Jack and Elizabeth on the same island Jack was marooned years ago. Elizabeth signals for help by setting fire using smuggled rum found on the island, leading the Navy to rescue them. She agrees to marry Norrington if he saves Will from Barbossa.

That night, Jack and Norrington plan to ambush pirates at Isla de Muerta. Norrington aims to attack all the pirates, so Jack convinces Barbossa to delay lifting the curse until after defeating Norrington's men. Anticipating battle, Jack hides a medallion for immortality, frees Will, and duels Barbossa. As Norrington's crew fights the undead pirates, Elizabeth frees Jack's crew on the Pearl, leaving her to save Will and Jack. Jack shoots Barbossa as Will returns the last medallions with their blood, breaking the curse. Now mortal, Barbossa dies from Jack's gunshot, while the rest of his crew are killed or surrender.

At Port Royal, Will declares his love for Elizabeth. He then rescues Jack, who was about to be hanged. After a scuffle, Jack and Will are surrounded by Norrington's soldiers. Elizabeth stands by their side and declares that she will marry Will instead of Norrington. Jack falls into the sea, then is rescued by the Black Pearl. Norrington gives Jack "one day's head start" before pursuing him. Governor Swann gives his blessing to Will and Elizabeth, while Jack becomes captain of the Pearl once again and sails off toward the horizon.

{{main|List of Pirates of the Caribbean cast members|l1=List of Pirates of the Caribbean cast members|List of Pirates of the Caribbean characters|l2=List of Pirates of the Caribbean characters}}

• Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow: A notorious pirate characterized by his slightly drunken swagger, slurred speech and flailing hand gestures. He is determined to reacquire the Black Pearl.
• Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa: The captain of the Black Pearl. He was Jack's first mate before he led a mutiny. Barbossa and his crew stole cursed Aztec gold and became immortal zombies.
• Orlando Bloom as Will Turner: A blacksmith's apprentice working in Port Royal who is in love with Elizabeth Swann. Will struggles with the fact that his father was a pirate.
• Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann: The daughter of Governor Weatherby Swann. She has been fascinated with pirates since childhood and is in love with Will.
• Jack Davenport as Norrington: An officer in the Royal Navy who seeks to marry Elizabeth.
• Kevin R. McNally as Joshamee Gibbs: Jack's loyal first mate who once served in the Royal Navy.
• Zoe Saldana as Anamaria: A pirate who wants to confront Jack for stealing her ship. One of the film's screenwriters, Terry Rossio, stated that the name "AnaMaria" was chosen because it is the middle name of his daughter.{{cite web |url=http://www.wordplayer.com/forums/moviesarc07/index.cgi?read=86647 |title=Wordplay Forums: Re: Just a small question for T. and T. |first=Terry |last=Rossio |author-link=Terry Rossio |date=August 9, 2006 |access-date=December 30, 2018 |work=Wordplayer}}{{cite web |url=http://www.wordplayer.com/archives/rossio09.Ends.Earth.html |title=Wordplayer.com: WORDPLAY/Archives/"Ends of the Earth" |first=Terry |last=Rossio |author-link=Terry Rossio |access-date=December 30, 2018 |date=September 6, 2006 |work=Word Player}}
• Jonathan Pryce as Governor Weatherby Swann: The father of Elizabeth and the governor of Port Royal.
• Treva Etienne as Koehler: A member of Barbossa's cursed crew who is killed by Norrington.
• David Bailie as Cotton: A member of Jack's crew. His parrot talks for him because his tongue was cut out.
• Lee Arenberg as Pintel: A member of the cursed crew.
• Mackenzie Crook as Ragetti: A member of the cursed crew who has a wooden eye.

Supporting characters include the cursed pirates Grapple (Trevor Goddard), Bo'sun (Isaac C. Singleton Jr.), Mallott (Brye Cooper), and Twigg (Michael Berry Jr.), as well as the dwarf pirate Marty (Martin Klebba), Lieutenant Gillette (Damian O'Hare) and Officer (Greg Ellis). The soldiers Murtogg and Mullroy are portrayed by Giles New and Angus Barnett, respectively.

In 2001, Jay Wolpert wrote a script based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, which was based on a story created by the Walt Disney Studios executives Brigham Taylor, Michael Haynes and Josh Harmon. This story featured Will Turner as a prison guard who releases Jack Sparrow to rescue Elizabeth Swann, who is being held for ransom by Captain Blackheart. By March 2002, Disney brought Stuart Beattie in to rewrite the script because of his knowledge of piracy.{{cite web |author=Greg Dean Schmitz |author-link=Greg Dean Schmitz |title=Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Greg's Preview |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808405416&gpt=ch |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050713090935/http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808405416&gpt=ch |archive-date=July 13, 2005 |access-date=August 9, 2008 |work=Yahoo!}} Beattie stated that he talked about making a pirate film based on the ride while tossing a Frisbee with a friend and wrote a first draft titled "Quest for the Caribbean" while on exchange to Oregon State University in 1991.{{Cite web |title=Independent Filmmakers Network : Shooting People |url=https://shootingpeople.org/interviews.php?mode=beattie |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=shootingpeople.org |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Shoebridge |first=Joanne |date=July 26, 2019 |title=The little-known Aussie screenwriter behind some of Hollywood's most well-known blockbusters |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-27/stuart-beattie-opens-up-about-pirates-of-the-caribbean/11342514 |access-date=2023-10-12 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}{{Citation |last=Field |first=Syd |title=Interviewing Stuart Beattie, screenwriter of "Pirates of the Caribbean" & "Collateral." |date=June 24, 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2dRH2IEsso |access-date=2023-10-12 |publisher=The Art of Visual Storytelling |language=en |via=YouTube}}

Screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio notably thought about a pirate film based on the ride during the early 1990s, having pitched the idea after completing work on the 1992 film Aladdin as a premise to studio executives who were not interested at the time.{{cite news|author=Gerard Raiti |title=ILM and Disney Make Pirate Perfection |work=VFXWorld |date=July 11, 2003 |url=http://www.awn.com/articles/technology/ilm-and-disney-make-pirate-perfection |access-date=May 14, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805193644/http://www.awn.com/articles/technology/ilm-and-disney-make-pirate-perfection |archive-date=August 5, 2012 }} Undeterred, the writing team refused to give up the dream, waiting for a studio to pick up their take on a pirate tale.[http://www.keeptothecode.com/pdf/POTCprodnotes1.pdf Pirates of the Caribbean presskit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928020320/http://www.keeptothecode.com/pdf/POTCprodnotes1.pdf |date=September 28, 2007}}, accessed December 9, 2006 Having worked with Disney on Aladdin and the 2002 film Treasure Planet, among other successful films, Elliott and Rossio were also brought in for Pirates of the Caribbean to give it a "more supernatural spin". Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio were the final writers to receive screenplay credit, while all four writers received story credits.

When Dick Cook managed to convince producer Jerry Bruckheimer to join the project, he rejected Jay Wolpert's script because it was "a straight pirate movie".{{cite news|author=Stax |title=Depp & Bruckheimer Talk Pirates |work=IGN |date=June 25, 2003 |url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/425/425848p1.html |access-date=May 13, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102184110/http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/425/425848p1.html |archive-date=January 2, 2008 }} Later in March 2002, Bruckheimer brought Elliott and Rossio, who suggested making a supernatural curse—as described in the opening narration of the ride—the film's plot.{{cite video |people=Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie, Jay Wolpert |title=Audio Commentary |work=Buena Vista |date=2003}}

Disney was unsure whether to release the film in theaters or direct-to-video. The studio was interested in Matthew McConaughey as Sparrow because of his resemblance to Burt Lancaster, who had inspired that script's interpretation of the character. If they chose to release it direct-to-video, Christopher Walken or Cary Elwes would have been their first choice.{{cite news |author=Jim Hill |title=Depp Perception : Why For did Johnny really want to work for Walt Disney Studios? |work=Jim Hill Media |date=May 25, 2007 |url=http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2007/05/24/depp-perception-why-for-did-johnny-really-want-to-work-for-walt-disney-studios.aspx |access-date=December 31, 2008}}

In May 2002, Gore Verbinski signed on to direct Pirates of the Caribbean. He was attracted to the idea of using modern technology to resurrect a genre that had disappeared after the Golden Age of Hollywood. He recalled his childhood memories of the ride, feeling the film was an opportunity to pay tribute to the "scary and funny" tone of it.{{cite video |people=Gore Verbinski, Johnny Depp |title=Audio Commentary |work=Buena Vista |date=2003}}

Although Cook had been a strong proponent of adapting Disney's rides into films, the box-office failure of The Country Bears (2002) made Michael Eisner attempt to shut down production of Pirates of the Caribbean. However, Verbinski told his concept artists to keep working on the picture, and when Eisner came to visit, Eisner was astonished by what had been created.{{cite book | author = James B. Stewart | title = DisneyWar | publisher = Simon & Schuster | year = 2005 | location = New York City | isbn = 0-684-80993-1 }}{{cite news|author=Jim Hill |title=Why For: did Michael Eisner try and shut down production of "The Curse of the Black Pearl" back in 2002? |work=Jim Hill Media |date=May 17, 2007 |url=http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2007/05/17/why-for-did-michael-eisner-try-and-shut-down-production-of-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl-back-in-2002.aspx |access-date=December 31, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208134159/http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2007/05/17/why-for-did-michael-eisner-try-and-shut-down-production-of-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl-back-in-2002.aspx |archive-date=February 8, 2010 }}

As recalled in the book DisneyWar, Eisner asked "Why does it have to cost so much?". Bruckheimer replied, "Your competition is spending $150 million," referring to franchises like The Lord of the Rings and The Matrix. Eisner concurred, but with the stigma attached to theme-park adaptations, Eisner requested Verbinski and Bruckheimer remove some of the more overt references to the ride in the Pirates of the Caribbean script, such as a scene where Sparrow and Turner enter a cave via a waterfall. Another change made, was adding The Curse of the Black Pearl as a subtitle, should the film be a hit and lend itself to sequels like Raiders of the Lost Ark. This brought protest, due to the Black Pearl being the name of the ship and nothing to do with the pirates' curse. Although Verbinski thought the subtitle was nonsense, Eisner refused to back down and The Curse of the Black Pearl remained the subtitle, although on most posters and trailers the words were so small as to be barely visible.

Ted Elliott was allegedly writing a George Lucas-produced animated film adaptation of The Curse of Monkey Island, which was cancelled before its official announcement, three years prior to the release of Pirates of the Caribbean. This film was allegedly in production at Industrial Light and Magic before being cancelled.[http://www.worldofmi.com/comments.php?type=news&id=1259&action=read "World of Monkey Island"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016064714/http://www.worldofmi.com/comments.php?type=news&id=1259&action=read |date=October 16, 2012 }}. WorldofMI.com. Retrieved June 11, 2011. Ron Gilbert, the creator of the Monkey Island series, has jokingly expressed a bitterness towards Pirates of the Caribbean films, specifically the second film, for its similarities to his game.{{cite web|url=http://grumpygamer.com/8123463 |title=The Monkey Island Movie |work=GrumpyGamer.com |access-date=July 9, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080303103517/http://grumpygamer.com/8123463 |archive-date=March 3, 2008 }}

Gilbert has stated that Tim Powers' 1987 novel On Stranger Tides, which was adapted into the fourth Pirates film, was the principal source of inspiration for his video games.[http://grumpygamer.com/6476640 "On Stranger Tides"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723074941/http://grumpygamer.com/6476640 |date=July 23, 2013 }}. GrumpyGamer.com. Retrieved June 11, 2011. Pirates screenwriter Terry Rossio mentioned how Disney was hit with at least six plagiarism lawsuits for the first Pirates of the Caribbean film for supposedly stealing elements of the Monkey Island video game and the On Stranger Tides novel, despite there being a ride at Disneyland and also a first draft screenplay by other writers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.wordplayer.com/columns/wp55.Time.Risk.html|title=Wordplayer.com: WORDPLAY/Columns/55. "Time Risk" by Terry Rossio|first=Terry|last=Rossio|website=www.wordplayer.com}}

Stuart Beattie, who drafted early versions of the film's script, said he created the character Jack Sparrow with Hugh Jackman in mind to play the part. However, since Jackman was not well-known outside of his native Australia, the {{No wrap|more-famous}} Johnny Depp was cast instead.{{Cite web |last=McKay |first=Hollie |date=December 1, 2010 |title=Jack Sparrow Was Named After Hugh Jackman, Not Intended for Johnny Depp |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/exclusive-jack-sparrow-was-named-after-hugh-jackman-not-intended-for-johnny-depp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810131647/https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/12/01/exclusive-jack-sparrow-named-hugh-jackman-intended-johnny-depp |archive-date=August 10, 2015 |url-status=live |website=Fox News}} Depp found the script quirky: rather than seeking treasure, the crew of the Black Pearl were trying to return it; also, the traditional mutiny had already taken place.{{cite video |title=Audio Commentary |date=2003 |publisher=Buena Vista |people=Gore Verbinski, Johnny Depp}} Initially Sparrow was, according to Bruckheimer, "a young Burt Lancaster, just the cocky pirate." Jim Carrey was considered for the part, but the production schedule for Pirates of the Caribbean conflicted with Bruce Almighty. Other actors considered for the role include Michael Keaton and Christopher Walken. Eventually, Depp was cast, as Bruckheimer felt he could give the character the edge.{{cite web |last=Evans |first=Bradford |date=March 17, 2011 |title=The Lost Roles of Jim Carrey |url=http://splitsider.com/2011/03/the-lost-roles-of-jim-carrey/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808040454/http://splitsider.com/2011/03/the-lost-roles-of-jim-carrey/ |archive-date=August 8, 2015 |access-date=August 10, 2015 |publisher=Splitsider}}

File:Johnny Depp (July 2009) 2 cropped.jpg

At the first read-through, Depp surprised the rest of the cast and crew by portraying the character in an off-kilter manner.{{cite magazine |author=Ian Nathan |date=July 1, 2006 |title=Pirates of the Caribbean 2 |magazine=Empire |pages=68}} After researching 18th-century pirates, Depp compared them to modern rock stars and decided to base his performance on Keith Richards.{{cite web |author=Stax |date=June 25, 2003 |title=Depp & Bruckheimer Talk Pirates |url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/425/425848p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805104859/http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/06/25/depp-bruckheimer-talk-pirates |archive-date=2016-08-05 |access-date=2007-05-13 |website=IGN}} Although Verbinski and Bruckheimer had confidence in Depp, partly because it would be Bloom who was playing the traditional Errol Flynn type, Disney executives were confused, asking Depp whether the character was drunk or gay, and Michael Eisner at one point proclaimed, "He's ruining the film!" Even Bruckheimer was slightly uncomfortable with Depp's decision to cap his teeth with gold. Depp later recalled, "I said, 'Look, these are the choices I made. You know my work. So either trust me or give me the boot.' And luckily, they didn't."

Verbinski approached Geoffrey Rush for the role of Hector Barbossa, as he knew he would not play it with attempts at complexity, but with a simple villainy that would suit the story's tone. Contrarily, Rush felt that he was playing the unsung hero of the film, who only dreamed about lifting the curse and living as a rich rogue with his prized pirate bride and developed an intricate backstory for the character to play him more convincingly.Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl DVD featurette "Becoming Barbossa" Originally, Rush was the second choice for the role behind Robert De Niro, who turned it down because he expected the film to flop in a similar manner to previous pirate films;B 105 FM interview with Robert De Niro on September 20, 2007 he regretted this decision later and accepted the role of Captain Shakespeare in the movie Stardust.{{cite web | url=https://www.zavvi.com/blog/film/robert-de-niro-almost-played-captain-jack-sparrow/ | title=Robert de Niro Almost Played Captain Jack Sparrow | date=March 26, 2023 }} Barbossa was conceptualized as a villain, a "dark trickster", and an evil counterpart to Sparrow.Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl DVD audio commentary with Stuart Beattie, Ted Elliott and Jay Wolpert Depp created the name "Hector Barbossa" on set, but the name was never revealed onscreen.

Tobey Maguire, Jude Law, Ewan McGregor, Ben Peyton, Christopher Masterson, Christian Bale, Tom Hiddleston and Heath Ledger were considered for the role of Will Turner.{{cite web |date=December 18, 2015 |title=13 Behind-the-Scenes Facts About Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl |url=https://ohmy.disney.com/movies/2015/12/18/13-behind-the-scenes-facts-about-pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl/ |access-date=August 27, 2021 |website=Oh My Disney}}{{Cite web |date=July 20, 2021 |title=The Surprising Audition Tom Hiddleston Calls His Worst |url=https://www.looper.com/466382/the-surprising-audition-tom-hiddleston-calls-his-worst/}} Orlando Bloom read the script at the suggestion of Rush, and was eventually selected for the part.{{cite news |author=Caroline Westbrook |date=August 8, 2003 |title=Pirates films tests its stars |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3132669.stm |access-date=2007-05-13 |publisher=BBC}} Tom Wilkinson was considered for the role of Governor Swann, while Brian Cox turned down the role because he did not want to work with Depp.{{Cite web |date=January 14, 2022 |title=Why Brian Cox Wasn't in 'Game of Thrones,' 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' and 'Harry f-cking Potter' |url=https://www.gq.com/story/brian-cox-memoir-excerpt |website=GQ}} The role of the governor ultimately went to Jonathan Pryce, whom Depp idolized.

Verbinski did not want an entirely romanticized feel to the film, but rather a sense of historical fantasy. Most of the actors wore prosthetics and contact lenses. Depp had contacts that acted as sunglasses, while Rush and Lee Arenberg wore dulled contacts that gave a sinister feel to the characters. Mackenzie Crook wore two contacts to represent his character's wooden eye: a soft version, and a harder version for when it protrudes. Their teeth and scurvy skin were dyed on.{{cite video |title=An Epic At Sea: The Making of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl |work=Buena Vista |date=2003}} Depp carried a genuine pistol, which was made in London in 1760. A number of swords were built for the production by the blacksmith Tony Swatton.{{cite web|last=Rothman |first=Lily |url=https://entertainment.time.com/2013/03/18/forging-his-way-qa-with-hollywood-blacksmith-tony-swatton/ |title=Forging His Way: Q&A with Hollywood Blacksmith Tony Swatton |publisher=Time |date=March 18, 2013 |access-date=August 24, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716083300/http://entertainment.time.com/2013/03/18/forging-his-way-qa-with-hollywood-blacksmith-tony-swatton/ |archive-date=July 16, 2014 }}

The crew spent five months creating the cavern in which Barbossa and the Black Pearl crew attempt to reverse their curse, filling it with five feet of water, 882 gold coins, and applying gold paint to the styrofoam rocks for more impressions of treasure. The Port Royal fortress was built in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Governor Swann's mansion was built at Manhattan Beach. A fire broke out in September 2002, causing $525,000 worth of damage, though no one was injured.{{cite news|author=Ryan Carter |title=Fire sends 'Pirates' fleeing |work=Los Angeles Times |date=September 11, 2002 |url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/burbank-leader/news/tn-blr-xpm-2002-09-11-export8999-story.html |access-date=September 24, 2021 }}

The filmmakers chose St. Vincent as their primary shooting location, as it contained the quietest beach they could find. They built three piers and a backlot for Port Royal and Tortuga. Of most importance to the film were the three ships: Black Pearl, Dauntless, and Interceptor. For budget reasons, the ships were built on docks, with only six days spent in the open sea for the battle between Black Pearl and Interceptor.{{cite news |author=Ian Nathan |title=Thrill Ride |page=87 |work=Empire |date=July 25, 2003 }} Dauntless and Black Pearl were built on barges, with computer-generated imagery finishing the structures. Black Pearl was also built on the Spruce Goose stage, to control fog and lighting. Interceptor was a re-dressed {{ship||Lady Washington}}, a full-scale replica sailing ship from Aberdeen, Washington, fully repainted before going on a 40-day voyage beginning December 2, 2002, arriving on location on January 12, 2003.{{cite video |title=Diary of a Ship |work=Buena Vista |date=2003}} A miniature was built for the storm sequence.

Principal photography began on October 9, 2002, and wrapped on March 7, 2003. The quick shoot was only marred by two accidents: as Sparrow steals Interceptor, three of the ropes attaching it to Dauntless did not break at first, and when they did snap, debris hit Depp's knee. He was not injured, and the way the incident played out on film made it look like Sparrow merely ducks. A more humorous accident was when the boat Sparrow was supposed to arrive in at Port Royal, sank. In October, the crew was shooting scenes at Rancho Palos Verdes. In December they were shooting at Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and in January they were at the cavern set at Los Angeles.{{cite video |title=Fly on the Set |work=Buena Vista |date=2003}} The script often changed with Elliott and Rossio on set, with additions such as Gibbs (Kevin McNally) telling Will how Sparrow allegedly escaped from an island—strapping two turtles together with rope made of his back hair—and Pryce was written into the climactic battle to keep some empathy for the audience.

Because of the quick schedule of the shoot, Industrial Light & Magic immediately began visual effects work. While the skeletal forms of the pirates revealed by moonlight take up relatively little screen-time, the crew knew their computer-generated forms had to convey the performances of the actors, or else the transition would not work. Each scene featuring them was shot twice: a reference plate with the actors, and then without them to add in the skeletons, an aesthetic complicated by Verbinski's decision to shoot the battles with handheld cameras. The actors had to perform their scenes again on the motion-capture stage. Filming was completed a mere four months before release, which caused Verbinski to spend 18-hour days in the editing room. There were 600 visual effects shots, 250 of which involved merely removing modern sailboats from the shot.{{cite news |author=Chris Hewitt |title=Caribbean Queen |page=31 |work=Empire |date=May 30, 2003 }}

{{Main|Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (soundtrack)|l1=Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (soundtrack)}}

The musical score was composed by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hans-zimmer.com/index.php?rub=disco&id=212 |title=Hans-Zimmer.com – Pirates Of The Caribbean – The Curse Of The Black Pearl |website=www.hans-zimmer.com |access-date=2017-01-25 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116233221/http://www.hans-zimmer.com/index.php?rub=disco&id=212 |archive-date=January 16, 2017 }} Zimmer also served as the music producer. Seven other composers, including Geoff Zanelli and Ramin Djawadi, received credit for "additional music". Verbinski oversaw the score with Badelt and Zimmer, who headed 15 composers to finish it quickly.

Composer Alan Silvestri, who had collaborated with Verbinski on Mouse Hunt and The Mexican, was originally hired to write the film's score. Citing creative differences with Bruckheimer, Silvestri left the project before recording any material.{{cite news|author=Dan Goldwasser |title=Battling monsters with Alan Silvestri |work=Soundtrack.net |date=January 21, 2005 |url=http://soundtrack.net/features/article/?id=137 |access-date=December 30, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110175425/http://www.soundtrack.net/features/article/?id=137 |archive-date=January 10, 2012 }} Verbinski and Bruckheimer decided to go with Zimmer's team instead, who were frequent collaborators on their productions. Zimmer declined to do the bulk of the composing, as he was busy scoring The Last Samurai. As a result, he referred Verbinski to Klaus Badelt,{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundtrack.net/content/article/?id=205|title=Hans Zimmer – Part 1 – Interview|website=www.soundtrack.net}} a relatively new composer who had been a part of Remote Control Productions, known as Media Ventures at the time, for three years. At that point, Badelt had only composed a few films, including The Time Machine, The Recruit, K-19: The Widowmaker and Basic.{{cite web|url=https://www.yellowbrick.co/blog/music/unveiling-the-talent-of-klaus-badelt-composer |title=Unveiling the Talent of Klaus Badelt, Composer}} As for Zimmer however, he ended up collaborating with Badelt to write most of the score's primary themes. Zimmer said he wrote most of the music in the space of one night, and then recorded them in an all-synthesized demo credited to him. This demo presents three of the score's themes and motifs, concluding with an early version of "He's A Pirate" which differs from the final cue and includes a development of a melody Zimmer wrote for the score to Drop Zone.

The song Elizabeth Swann sings in the opening of the film as a child, and then later on the island marooned with Jack Sparrow, is called "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)'". It was written by George Bruns with lyrics by Xavier "X" Atencio. It is the song heard throughout the attraction Pirates of the Caribbean in Disneyland and Magic Kingdom.{{cite book|last=Shaffer|first=Joshua C|title=Discovering the Magic Kingdom: An Unofficial Disneyland Vacation Guide – Second Edition|date=July 17, 2017|publisher=Synergy Book Publishing|isbn=978-0-9991664-0-6|page=511}}

The first teaser trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean, in which only one second of actual footage of the film was used, was attached to The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers as well as Disney's official website on December 17, 2002. By March 2003, sensing the possibility of sequels, Disney has added the subtitle of "The Curse of the Black Pearl" to the film. On April 6, 2003, the full trailer of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the first to feature footage from the film, was shown on every TV station Disney owned as well as being available to watch online, with some videos featuring an introduction by Orlando Bloom.

Pirates of the Caribbean was the first film released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner to be rated PG-13 by the MPAA, for action/adventure violence. One executive noted that she found the film too intense for her five-year-old child. Nonetheless, the studio was confident enough to add The Curse of the Black Pearl subtitle to the film in case sequels were made, and to attract older children. Verbinski disliked the new title because it is the Aztec gold rather than the ship that is cursed, so he requested the title to be unreadable on the poster.

The DVD and VHS editions of the film were released December 1, 2003, in the United Kingdom and December 2, 2003, in the United States,{{cite web|url=http://movies.aol.com/movie/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl/14196/main|title=Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl|work=AOL@Movies|access-date=July 8, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309051055/http://movies.aol.com/movie/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl/14196/main|archive-date=March 9, 2007}} with 11 million copies sold in the first week, a record for live action video.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2003-12-11#film5|title='Pirates' Videos Sail Out the Doors at Rental Outlets|date=December 11, 2003|work=Movie & TV News @ IMDb.com|access-date=October 17, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050130015939/http://imdb.com/news/sb/2003-12-11|archive-date=January 30, 2005}} It earned $235 million from DVD sales as of January 2004.{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2003/PIRAT.php |title=Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl |work=The-Numbers.com |access-date=February 2, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823014518/http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2003/PIRAT.php |archive-date=August 23, 2013 }} This THX certified DVD release featured two discs, featuring three commentary tracks (Johnny Depp and Gore Verbinski; Jerry Bruckheimer, Keira Knightley and Jack Davenport; and the screenwriter team), various deleted scenes and documentaries, and a 1968 Disneyland episode about the theme park ride.{{cite web|url=https://dvdizzy.com/pirates.html|title=Pirates of the Caribbean DVD Review}} A special three-disc edition was released in November 2004, in the United States and April 2005, in the United Kingdom.{{cite web |url=http://pirates.ugo.com/?cur=black-pearl-3-disc-dvd&gallery=true |title=Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: 3-Disc Special Edition |work=UGO |access-date=October 17, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111011948/http://pirates.ugo.com/?cur=black-pearl-3-disc-dvd&gallery=true |archive-date=November 11, 2007 }}

A PSP release of the film followed in April 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/release/13/64813/features.php |title=Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl UMD |work=MovieWeb.com |access-date=July 8, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725043420/http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/release/13/64813/features.php |archive-date=July 25, 2008 }} The high-definition Blu-ray Disc version of the film was released in May 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/release/78/119278/features.php |title=Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Blu-Ray |work=MovieWeb.com |access-date=July 8, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726213253/http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/release/78/119278/features.php |archive-date=July 26, 2008 }} This movie was among the first to be sold at the iTunes music store. The Curse of the Black Pearl had its UK television premiere on Christmas Eve 2007 on BBC One at 20:30{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007cjnv |title=BBC One – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl |access-date=2014-12-21 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407043828/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007cjnv |archive-date=April 7, 2015 }} and was watched by an estimated 7 million viewers.{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/bbc1-claims-christmas-ratings-spoils/411701.article |title=BBC1 claims Christmas ratings spoils |access-date=2014-12-21 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303211443/http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/bbc1-claims-christmas-ratings-spoils/411701.article |archive-date=March 3, 2016 }}

In January 2022, The Curse of the Black Pearl was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray. However, the film's remaster was criticized by various online reviewers for being upscaled from 2K resolution, excessive application of digital noise reduction and various other shortcomings.{{Citation |title=Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl's 4K is a SINKER – 4K Blu-ray Review & Unboxing | date=January 16, 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3nX28LYGC4 |language=en |access-date=2022-07-19}}{{Citation |title=PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL 4K UHD BLU-RAY REVIEW {{!}} THE WORST 4K DISC EVER? | date=January 5, 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8bs84FVISc |language=en |access-date=2022-07-19}} A review by Martin Liebman of Blu-ray.com compared the release unfavorably to the previous 2007 Blu-ray release, stating: "The picture's grain has been reduced to a meshy, artificial appearance, looking frozen and flat and certainly less than genuine and flattering. Edge enhancement is in evidence. Textures have been scrubbed down and sharpened back up. Details appear waxy and lacking complexity [...] This is just a real clunker of a UHD image and one of the least impressive the format has seen."{{cite web |author1=Martin Liebman |title=Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 4K Blu-ray (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital HD) |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Pirates-of-the-Caribbean-The-Curse-of-the-Black-Pearl-4K-Blu-ray/303535/#Review |website=Blu-ray.com |access-date=August 12, 2022 |date=December 30, 2021}}

As part of Disney's 100th anniversary, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was re-released in theaters from July 7 to 20, 2023, on the film's own 20th anniversary.{{cite news |last=Woodroof |first=Cory |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2023/06/disney-movies-releases-theaters-100th-anniversary |title=8 Disney classics (Toy Story!) re-releasing in movie theaters for its 100th anniversary |work=For the Win |publisher=USA Today |date=June 29, 2023 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629200522/https://ftw.usatoday.com/2023/06/disney-movies-releases-theaters-100th-anniversary |archive-date=June 29, 2023 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Disney 100th Anniversary Theatrical Rerelease Dates Set for The Lion King & 7 More |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/1301302-disney-100th-anniversary-theatrical-rerelease-dates-set-for-the-lion-king-7-more |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=www.comingsoon.net|date=June 29, 2023 }}

Before its release, many journalists expected Pirates of the Caribbean would be a box-office bomb. The pirate genre had not been successful for many years, with Cutthroat Island (1995) being a notable failure. Depp was known mostly for starring in cult films, but Pirates of the Caribbean has been cited as launching his career as a leading man.{{cite magazine|author=Chris Nashawaty |title=Box Office Buccaneer |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20037288_20037290_465481,00.html |access-date=May 18, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529092533/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C20037288_20037290_465481%2C00.html |archive-date=May 29, 2013 }}

The film opened at number one ahead of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, grossing $46,630,690 in its opening weekend and $70,625,971 since its Wednesday launch.{{cite magazine|last=Karger|first=Dave|title=Pirates sails to No. 1 at the box office|url=https://ew.com/article/2003/07/11/pirates-sails-no-1-box-office/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=June 1, 2022|date=July 11, 2003|archive-date=June 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603211805/https://ew.com/article/2003/07/11/pirates-sails-no-1-box-office/|url-status=live}} This made it Disney's highest July opening weekend, a record held until the debut of The Village a year later.{{cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/shyamalan-is-king-as-the-village-opens-top-on-508m/4019587.article|title=Shyamalan is king as The Village opens top on $50.8m}} It would also outgross another pirate-themed film, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, while staying ahead of the summer's top earner, Disney's own Finding Nemo.{{cite news |last=Holson |first=Laura M. |title=Animated Film Is Latest Title To Run Aground At DreamWorks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/21/business/animated-film-is-latest-title-to-run-aground-at-dreamworks.html |access-date=April 6, 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=July 21, 2003 |archive-date=April 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406233353/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/21/business/animated-film-is-latest-title-to-run-aground-at-dreamworks.html |url-status=live }} Additionally, the film would hold the record for having the highest opening weekend for a Johnny Depp film until 2005 when Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory surpassed it.{{cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2005/07/18/charlie-sweet-at-box-office/|title="Charlie" sweet at box office}} The film was overtaken by Bad Boys II during its second weekend, but still made $34 million.{{cite web|last=Linder|first=Brian|title=Weekend Box Office: Boys Bests Pirates|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/07/21/weekend-box-office-boys-bests-pirates|publisher=IGN|access-date=April 7, 2023|date=July 21, 2003}} Pirates of the Caribbean eventually made its way to $654,264,015 worldwide ($305,413,918 domestically and $348,850,097 overseas), becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2003, as well as joining Finding Nemo, Bruce Almighty, X2, and The Matrix Reloaded as one of the first five films to pass the $200 million mark in one summer season.{{cite news |title=Analysis: Hollywood's hot summer |url=https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2003/09/02/Analysis-Hollywoods-hot-summer/47631062534986/ |access-date=March 1, 2022 |work=United Press International |date=September 2, 2003 |archive-date=March 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220301174947/https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2003/09/02/Analysis-Hollywoods-hot-summer/47631062534986/ |url-status=live }} Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold over 50.64 million tickets in the US.{{cite web|access-date=May 31, 2016 |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=piratesofthecaribbean.htm&adjust_yr=1&p=.htm |title=Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) |website=Box Office Mojo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207064432/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=piratesofthecaribbean.htm&adjust_yr=1&p=.htm |archive-date=February 7, 2017 }}

Internationally, Pirates of the Caribbean dominated for seven consecutive weekends at the box office,{{cite web|title=Overseas Total* Box Office Index |work=Box Office Mojo |publisher=IMDb |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/intl/weekend/?yr=2003&p=.htm |access-date=February 10, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515185747/http://boxofficemojo.com/intl/weekend/?yr=2003&p=.htm |archive-date=May 15, 2013 }} tying the record of Men in Black II at the time.{{cite web|title=Overseas Total* Box Office Index |work=Box Office Mojo |publisher=IMDb |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/intl/weekend/?yr=2002&p=.htm |access-date=February 10, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514205313/http://boxofficemojo.com/intl/weekend/?yr=2002&p=.htm |archive-date=May 14, 2013 }} Only three movies after that broke the record; its sequel, Dead Man's Chest, (with nine consecutive No. 1 weekends and ten in total),{{cite web|title=Overseas Total* Box Office Index |work=Box Office Mojo |publisher=IMDb |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/intl/weekend/?yr=2006&p=.htm |access-date=February 10, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515185451/http://boxofficemojo.com/intl/weekend/?yr=2006&p=.htm |archive-date=May 15, 2013 }} Avatar (with 11 consecutive No. 1 weekends){{cite web|title=Overseas Total* Box Office Index |work=Box Office Mojo |publisher=IMDb |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/intl/weekend/?yr=2009&p=.htm |access-date=February 10, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514204956/http://boxofficemojo.com/intl/weekend/?yr=2009&p=.htm |archive-date=May 14, 2013 }} and The Smurfs (with eight consecutive No. 1 weekends).{{cite web|title=Overseas Total* Box Office Index |work=Box Office Mojo |publisher=IMDb f|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/intl/weekend/?yr=2011&p=.htm |access-date=March 28, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514075902/http://boxofficemojo.com/intl/weekend/?yr=2011&p=.htm |archive-date=May 14, 2013 }} As of February 2021, it is the 141st-highest-grossing film of all time.{{cite web|title=Worldwide Grosses |work=Box Office Mojo |publisher=IMDb |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/ |access-date=February 11, 2021}}

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 79% based on 219 reviews, and an average rating of 7.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "May leave you exhausted like the theme park ride that inspired it; however, you'll have a good time when it's over."{{cite web|title=Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Movie Reviews |work=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Flixster |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pirates_of_the_caribbean_the_curse_of_the_black_pearl |access-date=March 7, 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619111736/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pirates_of_the_caribbean_the_curse_of_the_black_pearl/ |archive-date=June 19, 2013 }} At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating to reviews, the film received an average score of 63 out of 100, based on reviews from 40 critics indicating generally favorable reviews.{{cite web|title=Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Reviews, Ratings, Credits |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl |work=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=August 21, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022162825/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl |archive-date=October 22, 2012 }} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.{{cite web |url = https://cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title = CinemaScore |access-date = December 23, 2018 |archive-date = July 22, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180722041238/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |url-status = dead }}

Alan Morrison of Empire felt it was "the best blockbuster of the summer", acclaiming all the comic performances despite his disappointment with the swashbuckling sequences.{{cite news|author=Alan Morrison |title=Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl |work=Empire |url=https://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=9271 |access-date=May 21, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116173953/http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=9271 |archive-date=November 16, 2012 }} Duane Dudek of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel earned a three-out-of-four rating, describing the film as "a fast-moving, wickedly funny and vividly mounted distraction that brings to mind adventure romps like The Mummy, The Princess Bride and The Mask of Zorro, with Antonio Banderas."{{cite news |last=Dudek |first=Duane |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/corpus-christi-caller-times-pirates-fi/167905839/ |title='Pirates' film transcends theme park origins

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250313205149/https://www.newspapers.com/article/corpus-christi-caller-times-pirates-fi/167905839/ |date=July 10, 2003 |access-date=March 13, 2025 |archive-date=March 13, 2025 |page=22 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |publisher=Corpus Christi Caller-Times |via=Newspapers.com |url-status=live}} {{Open access}}

The performance of Depp as Sparrow was particularly praised. Review site PopMatters applauded Depp's performance, saying "Ingenious and mesmerizing, Johnny Depp embodies the film's essential fantasy, that a pirate's life is exciting and unfettered." James Berardinelli of ReelViews also applauds Depp's performance by saying "Pirates of the Caribbean belongs to Johnny Depp...Take away Depp, and you're left with a derivative and dull motion picture."{{cite news|author=James Berardinelli |title=Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl |work=ReelViews |url=http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/p/pirates_caribbean.html |access-date=May 21, 2007}}

Roger Ebert acclaimed the performances of Depp and Rush, and particularly that "It can be said that [Depp's] performance is original in its every atom. There has never been a pirate, or for that matter a human being, like this in any other movie... his behavior shows a lifetime of rehearsal." However, he felt the film went on for too long,{{cite news|author=Roger Ebert |title=Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews |work=Roger Ebert |date=July 9, 2003 |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl-2003 |access-date=March 24, 2023 |author-link=Roger Ebert }} a criticism shared by Kenneth Turan's negative review, feeling it "spends far too much time on its huge supporting cast of pirates (nowhere near as entertaining as everyone assumes) and on bloated adventure set pieces", despite having also enjoyed Depp's performance.{{cite news|author=Kenneth Turan |title=Pirates of the Caribbean |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-et-turan9jul09,2,3211342.story |access-date=May 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929145615/http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-et-turan9jul09%2C2%2C3211342.story |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |url-status=dead |author-link=Kenneth Turan }} Mark Kermode described the film as "a triumph of turgid theme-park hackery over the art of cinema".{{cite web |last=Kermode |first=Mark |date=July 9, 2006 |title=Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/jul/09/actionandadventure.sciencefictionandfantasy1 |access-date=August 2, 2021 |work=The Guardian |quote=Given my contempt for the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, a triumph of turgid theme-park hackery over the art of cinema}}

{{See also|List of accolades received by the Pirates of the Caribbean film series|l1=List of accolades received by the Pirates of the Caribbean film series}}

For his performance as Sparrow, Depp won several awards, including Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role at the 10th Screen Actors Guild Awards, Best Male Performance at the 2004 MTV Movie Awards, and Best Actor at the 9th Empire Awards. Depp was also nominated for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the 61st Golden Globe Awards, Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 57th British Academy Film Awards, and Best Actor at the 76th Academy Awards, in which The Curse of the Black Pearl also received nominations for Best Makeup, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.{{cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/76th-winners.html |title=The 76th Academy Awards (2004) Nominees and Winners |access-date=November 20, 2011 |work=Oscars.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929190645/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/76th-winners.html |archive-date=September 29, 2012 }} Awards won by Curse of the Black Pearl include Best Make-up/Hair at the 57th British Academy Film Awards, Saturn Award for Best Costumes, Golden Reel Award for Sound Editing, two VES Awards for Visual Effects, and the People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

; American Film Institute Lists

• AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) – Nominated[http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/Movies_ballot_06.pdf "AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) Ballot"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725013411/http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/Movies_ballot_06.pdf |date=July 25, 2013 }}. AFI.com. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
• AFI's 10 Top 10 – Fantasy – Nominated[http://www.afi.com/drop/ballot.pdf "AFI's 10 Top 10 Ballot"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170326214614/http://www.afi.com/drop/ballot.pdf |date=March 26, 2017 }}. AFI.com. Retrieved January 13, 2012.

Following the critical and commercial success of The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean became a multimedia franchise encompassing films, books, video games, and theme park attractions. While The Curse of the Black Pearl was conceived as a standalone film, its writers Elliott and Rossio turned it into the first of a trilogy, in which two back-to-back sequels were released: Dead Man's Chest in 2006 and At World's End in 2007.{{Cite AV media |title=Audio Commentary |year=2006 |publisher=Buena Vista |people=Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio}} Depp, Bloom, Knightley, Rush, and McNally returned for both films. A short film created as a prequel to The Curse of the Black Pearl, titled Tales of the Code: Wedlocked, was directed by James Ward Byrkit, who was a creative consultant for Gore Verbinski in the Pirates trilogy.{{Cite web|title=Pirates of the Caribbean: Tales of the Code: Wedlocked|url=https://d23.com/a-to-z/pirates-caribbean-tales-code-wedlocked/|access-date=March 27, 2023|website=D23|language=en-US|archive-date=June 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608222330/https://d23.com/a-to-z/pirates-caribbean-tales-code-wedlocked/|url-status=live}}

A fourth film, On Stranger Tides, was released in 2011. Following the release of The Curse of the Black Pearl, Disney approached author Tim Powers about optioning his novel On Stranger Tides for a Pirates film, a decision which was finalized near the end of filming the first two sequels.{{cite web |last=Powers |first=Tim |date=April 23, 2011 |title=Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – Tim Powers Interview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbFQHXEFnrY |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705140503/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbFQHXEFnrY |archive-date=July 5, 2024 |access-date=July 5, 2024 |publisher=JARK86 |via=YouTube }}{{Cite web|url=https://jdreads.freeforums.net/thread/55/powers-stranger-original-followup-interviews|title=Tim Powers ON STRANGER TIDES (original & followup interviews | JohnnyDeppReads|website=jdreads.freeforums.net}} With the stories of both Will and Elizabeth resolved, and both Bloom and Knightley declining involvement in a fourth film, a stand-alone sequel was developed focusing on the further adventures of Sparrow.{{cite web|url=http://collider.com/jerry-bruckheimer-interview-pirates-caribbean-4-on-stranger-tides-lone-ranger/|title=Producer Jerry Bruckheimer On Set Interview PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4: ON STRANGER TIDES; Updates on LONE RANGER and More|date=February 3, 2011|website=collider.com}} Depp, Rush, McNally, Greg Ellis, and Damian O'Hare reprised their roles from the previous films.{{Cite web |year=2011 |title=Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides |url=http://media-file.net/7/onstrangertides/images/PIRATES%204%20PRESS%20KIT%20FINAL.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131161944/http://media-file.net/7/onstrangertides/images/PIRATES%204%20PRESS%20KIT%20FINAL.pdf |archive-date=January 31, 2012 |access-date=November 14, 2022 |publisher=Disney Enterprises, Inc.}}

The fifth film, Dead Men Tell No Tales, was also developed as a standalone sequel and was released in 2017. Rossio was contracted to write the screenplay in 2011, but his script was rejected by 2012.{{Cite web |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=January 14, 2011 |title=Disney Sets Terry Rossio To Script Fifth 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Installment |url=https://deadline.com/2011/01/disney-sets-terry-rossio-to-script-fifth-pirates-of-the-caribbean-installment-96468/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928203850/http://www.deadline.com/2011/01/disney-sets-terry-rossio-to-script-fifth-pirates-of-the-caribbean-installment/ |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |access-date=July 13, 2013 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.wordplayer.com/archives/PIRATES5.cover.html|title=PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES by Terry Rossio|website=www.wordplayer.com}} The screenwriter Jeff Nathanson was hired, along with the directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, who were quoted as being inspired by The Curse of the Black Pearl.{{cite web|url=http://www.vh1.in/entertainment/movies/current/pirates-of-the-caribbean-5s-official-title-released |title=Pirates of the Caribbean 5's Official Title Released |date=August 27, 2013 |publisher=VH1 |access-date=December 16, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006162057/http://www.vh1.in/entertainment/movies/current/pirates-of-the-caribbean-5s-official-title-released |archive-date=October 6, 2014 }} Depp, Rush, McNally, Martin Klebba, Giles New and Angus Barnett returned to their roles from previous films.{{cite web |last=Vejvoda |first=Jim |title=Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Begins Production |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/02/18/pirates-of-the-caribbean-dead-men-tell-no-tales-begins-production |website=IGN |date=February 17, 2015 |access-date=February 17, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218061124/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/02/18/pirates-of-the-caribbean-dead-men-tell-no-tales-begins-production |archive-date=February 18, 2015 }} Despite the studio and producer guideline that Knightley and Bloom would not return, as well as the actors' past comments about not wanting to return, they made cameo appearances as their respective characters.{{Cite web |last=Spencer |first=Anthony |date=September 14, 2021 |title=Here's Why Orland Bloom Skipped Out On 'Pirates Of The Caribbean 4' |url=https://www.thethings.com/heres-why-orland-bloom-skipped-out-on-pirates-of-the-caribbean-4/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=TheThings |language=en-US}} An untitled sixth film is currently in development, with Jerry Bruckheimer returning as a producer.{{Cite magazine |last=Nelson |first=Dustin |date=March 26, 2024 |title=Everything we know about the 'New 'Pirates of the Caribbean' sequel, including if Johnny Depp will return |url=https://ew.com/pirates-of-the-caribbean-6-reboot-everything-we-know-8620606 |access-date=2024-07-06 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikiquote}}

• {{Official website|http://pirates.disney.com/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl}}
• {{IMDb title|0325980|Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl}}
• {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
• {{ISFDB title|id=1814926|title=The Curse of the Black Pearl}}

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