Summary
Pirates of the Caribbeanhas been one of Disney’s most profitable movie franchises, but ifPirates of the Caribbean 6is going to be a successful reboot, then it needs to represent a major change from the other franchise sequels. Collectively, the franchise has been one of the greatest successes in the history of American cinema, with a total box office gross over $4.5 billion. Two of the sequels,Dead Man’s ChestandOn Stranger Tides, managed to break $1 billion at the box office on their own, so unsurprisinglyPirates of the Caribbean 6is currently in development.
Unfortunately,Pirates 6is not guaranteed the same box office success as its predecessors. Just in 2024, the box office has seen two franchise sequels break records (Inside Out 2andDeadpool and Wolverine)while two others were considered major disappointments (Furiosa: A Mad Max SagaandKingdom of the Planet of the Apes). Nearly a decade will have passed sincethe lastPiratesmoviewhenPirates 6hits theaters, so chances are good it will still be a box office hit. However, the franchise may need to make some major changes to achieve its previous highs.
Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Needs To Happen Because Disney’s POTC Replacement Plans Are Doomed To Fail
Disney has long struggled to find a replacement for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, proving above all else why a sixth film needs to happen.
Disney Must Face The Harsh Truth About Its Pirates Of The Caribbean Franchise
The franchise’s best movie was its first
Despite the literal billions that they pulled in at the box office, all thePirates of the Caribbeansequels could be considered disappointments due to their quality, or lack thereof. The franchise’s original movie,The Curse of the Black Pearl, leaned into all the best pirate tropes, themes, and characters, while introducing a colorful cast of characters and some supernatural elements. It was a simple, straightforward, swashbuckling story, and that’s what made it great. The characters were memorable, the action was top-notch, and it embraced fun first and foremost.
2003
80%
$654.3 million
2006
53%
$1.066 billion
2007
44%
$963.4 million
2011
33%
$1.046 billion
2017
30%
$795.9 million
The sequels, on the other hand, literally and figuratively lost the plot. In place of a simple, self-contained pirate story, the sequels exploded into a world of monsters, alternate dimensions, and overwhelming CGI. Unsurprisingly, as the studio ratcheted up the production value, the story and the characters suffered. In fact, eachPiratesmovie’sRotten TomatoesTomatometer score has been worse than its predecessor, culminating in an abysmal 30% for 2017’sDead Men Tell No Tales, and subsequently the second-worst box office return of the franchise.
The Studio Must Fix The Sequels' Problems For Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 To Succeed
A simplified reboot can reinvigorate the franchise
If Disney intends to start up thePirates of the Caribbeanmoney machine again, they have no choice but to fix the problems of the sequels. Trading in Johnny Depp’s over-the-top Jack Sparrow (whose schtick had grown old by the fifth movie) for a new central character would be a good starting point, but most importantly,Pirates of the Caribbean 6needs to simplify the story. The new movie needs to go back to what got people interested in pirates in the first place: swords, treasure, ships, and mischief.
The Curse of the Black Pearlalso boasted the highest Popcornmeter score (86%) in addition to the highest Tomatometer score, indicating that audiences and critics agree that it’s the franchise’s best movie.
Cutting back on the CGI budget is also a great play for a rebooted series of movies. There are still plenty of great places to use it, but fighting a pirate war in the middle of a maelstrom while an ancient goddess bears down is simply too much to worry about all at once. It made for a fine finale for the original trilogy of movies, butPirates of the Caribbean 6can keep all the best elements of the franchise intact while keeping the central conflict on a much smaller scale.
Source:Rotten Tomatoes
Pirates of the Caribbean
A series of fantasy swashbuckler films produced by Disney, featuring the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow. Known for its supernatural elements, high-seas action, and iconic characters, the franchise has become a cultural phenomenon and was loosely based on the Disney theme park ride of the same name.
