The biggest question about Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is whether Johnny Depp will return as Jack Sparrow. However, the real challenge will be for the film to end another disappointing franchise trend. The journey of Pirates of the Caribbean began with 2003’s The Curse of the Black Pearl, which was based on an amusement park ride. Probably no one imagined the success of this film back then, but The Curse of the Black Pearl surprised everyone and achieved massive success.
How Pirates of the Caribbean 6 became a historic success, but why did the sequels decline? Will Pirates 6 change that?
The Curse of the Black Pearl gave birth to iconic characters like Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, and Elizabeth Swann, who have forever been etched in the hearts of audiences. The characters’ great chemistry left fans wanting more, and this led to several more Pirates of the Caribbean films. However, no sequel has achieved the same critical success as the first film. In fact, every Pirates of the Caribbean sequel has received a “rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes, and now Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will face the biggest challenge of all to end this disappointing trend.
Pirates of the Caribbean 6 Final Chapter (2025) pic.twitter.com/juNRrS7Qio
— Adam Urbanowicz (@AdamUrbanowic13) November 7, 2024
Pirates of the Caribbean 6: Why Every Sequel Has Gotten Bad Reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Pirates of the Caribbean 6: Sequels Struggle to Impress Critics
Why did every sequel of Pirates of the Caribbean get a Rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes?
Pirates of the Caribbean is considered an iconic franchise, but it is a bit surprising that all the sequels of this series have got a Rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes. A film must get a rating of less than 60% to get a Rotten score, and this means that critics have rated all the sequels of Pirates of the Caribbean negatively. If we look, every film has had a disappointing score on Rotten Tomatoes, and these films have failed to live up to the expectations. Here we show you the table of Rotten Tomatoes scores of all Pirates of the Caribbean films.
Here’s the Pirates of the Caribbean movie ratings and directors, all in one easy-to-read table:
| Movie Title | RT Critics Score | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) | 79% | Gore Verbinski |
| Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) | 53% | Gore Verbinski |
| Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) | 43% | Gore Verbinski |
| Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) | 32% | Rob Marshall |
| Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) | 30% | Joachim Rønning & Espen Sandberg |
It would not be wrong to say that it was somewhat surprising to see “On Stranger Tides” and “Dead Men Tell No Tales” receive low scores on Rotten Tomatoes. In fact, Gore Verbinski, director of the first three Pirates films, left the franchise after the third film, leaving an uncertain situation about its future. Although Johnny Depp played Jack Sparrow in the fourth and fifth films as well, he was unable to recreate the magic of the first film.
Why No Pirates Of The Caribbean Sequel Could Match The Magic Of The Curse Of The Black Pearl
How Pirates Of The Caribbean Sequels Tried To Grow The Franchise, But Missed The Mark
It’s no surprise that the fourth and fifth Pirates of the Caribbean films did not receive positive reviews from critics, but it is a little strange that many fans and critics did not appreciate the second and third films in the series as much. After the huge success of “The Curse of the Black Pearl,” Disney quickly decided to make more parts of the Pirates of the Caribbean. After this, Gore Verbinski shot Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End one after another.
Why The Pirates of the Caribbean Sequels Didn’t Capture The Magic Of The First Film
Although these films expanded the world of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, they did not recapture what was special about “The Curse of the Black Pearl.”. Negative reviews of “Dead Man’s Chest” and “At World’s End” noted that the plots of these films became more complicated and that instead of the simplicity and excitement of the first film, these sequels focused more on grandeur and large-scale battles. In addition, some critics felt that Jack Sparrow was overplayed in the sequels, when in fact he was not the main protagonist of “The Curse of the Black Pearl.”.
How Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Can Recapture the Magic of the First Movie
It has become a common opinion that no sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean 6 has been as good as the previous film. The situation will not be easy for Pirates of the Caribbean 6 either, as there are many challenges against it. After the two lowest-rated films of the series, it will be very difficult for the film to make its place this time. Apart from this, there is a lot of controversy about the film, as a large section of fans wants Johnny Depp to return to the character of Jack Sparrow again.
Can Pirates of the Caribbean 6 be a success without Jack Sparrow?
Johnny Depp returning as Jack Sparrow is not a requirement for Pirates of the Caribbean 6 to be a success. In fact, it might even be better for the franchise if he doesn’t return, as it’s time to reboot it. If Pirates of the Caribbean 6 serves as a fresh start, it could add new characters and take them on new adventures. While there will certainly be backlash if Jack Sparrow isn’t brought back, if the film is done right, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 could be a success and break the string of poor scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
