Watch the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films in release order, which matches the story timeline; none of the five films is a prequel. The films are “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003), “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (2006), “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (2007), “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011) and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” (2017). Johnny Depp plays Captain Jack Sparrow in all five.
Below you will find US release dates, directors and running times, a spoiler-free plot summary, a viewing order, and an answer to what is known about a sixth film. The details were checked against Disney’s official pages and Wikipedia (Russian and English) as of October 17, 2026. Titles are given in English, the way the studio and Wikipedia name them.
All “Pirates of the Caribbean” Films in Order
| Film | US release | Director | Running time, min |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” | July 9, 2003 | Gore Verbinski | 143 |
| “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” | July 7, 2006 | Gore Verbinski | 150 |
| “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” | May 25, 2007 | Gore Verbinski | 168 |
| “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” | May 20, 2011 | Rob Marshall | 136 |
| “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” | May 26, 2017 | Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg | 129 |
All five films together run 726 minutes, a little over 12 hours. Gore Verbinski directed the first three, Rob Marshall the fourth, and Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg the fifth. The series is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and it is based on a ride at Disney parks.
Story Timeline: What Comes Before What
The films have no separate timeline: they follow the story in the same order they were released. The only story outside this sequence is the short “Tales of the Code: Wedlocked” (2011). It serves as a prequel to the first film, but it was released only as bonus material on discs, so it is not in the table.
“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”
Will Turner and Jack Sparrow rescue Elizabeth Swann
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest”
Lord Beckett hunts for the Dead Man's Chest
“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End”
Rescuing Jack and a battle with the East India Trading Company
“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”
The search for the Fountain of Youth
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”
The chase for Poseidon’s Trident
What Each Film Is About, Spoiler-Free
“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003)
Original title: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) teams up with the eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) to rescue Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) from cursed pirates. They are led by Jack’s former first mate, Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), who once left him on an island and took the ship Black Pearl. Directed by Gore Verbinski. There is a short scene after the credits.
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (2006)
Original title: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Lord Beckett of the East India Trading Company arrests Will and Elizabeth and offers a pardon if Will finds Jack’s compass. Beckett hopes this will get him to the Dead Man’s Chest, while Jack tries to avoid his debt to Davy Jones. The film ends on a cliffhanger, so it is best to start the next part right away. According to English Wikipedia, it was the highest-grossing film of 2006 and took in almost $1.1 billion.
“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (2007)
Original title: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Beckett gains control over Davy Jones and wants to end piracy for good. Will, Elizabeth and Barbossa set out to rescue Jack: as one of nine pirate lords, he is needed to free an ancient goddess. This is the longest film in the series, at 168 minutes. At the end, after the credits, there is a short scene.
“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011)
Original title: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Jack searches for the Fountain of Youth and meets his former lover Angelica (Penélope Cruz). She forces him aboard the ship Queen Anne’s Revenge, which is commanded by her father, the pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane). Barbossa also joins the race for the fountain. Directed by Rob Marshall; the plot is based on Tim Powers’s 1987 novel. Will and Elizabeth do not appear in the film. It was released in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D and grossed more than a billion dollars.
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” (2017)
Original title: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales; in many countries the film was released as Salazar’s Revenge. Ghostly Spanish soldiers under the command of Captain Armando Salazar (Javier Bardem), an old enemy of Jack’s, break free and want to kill all pirates. To survive, Jack searches for Poseidon’s Trident, which lifts curses and gives power over the seas. Directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg; the cast also includes Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario. There is a short scene after the credits.
How to Watch in Order
Watch in release order: the series has no other order. “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” ends on a cliffhanger that continues in “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” so these two films are best watched back to back. “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” are separate adventures for Jack, but Barbossa and other familiar characters tie them together.
- “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003)
- “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (2006)
- “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (2007)
- “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011)
- “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” (2017)
Who Returns From Film to Film
The main trio stays in the series with almost no breaks. According to the cast lists on Russian Wikipedia, Jack Sparrow, Barbossa and Gibbs appear in all five films, while Will and Elizabeth appear in the first three and return in the fifth.
| Character | Actor | In which films |
|---|---|---|
| Captain Jack Sparrow | Johnny Depp | 1–5 |
| Hector Barbossa | Geoffrey Rush | 1–5 |
| Joshamee Gibbs | Kevin McNally | 1–5 |
| Will Turner | Orlando Bloom | 1, 2, 3, 5 |
| Elizabeth Swann | Keira Knightley | 1, 2, 3, 5 |
Short scenes after the credits appear in at least the first, third and fifth films, according to plot descriptions on English Wikipedia. If you like watching films in order, we have similar guides: the Harry Potter viewing order, Batman movies and all Fast & Furious films.
Sources and methodology
Analysis of public sourcesChecked 17 October 2026
- Disney — Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (official page) movies.disney.com
- Disney — Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (official page) movies.disney.com
- Wikipedia (Russian) — Pirates of the Caribbean (film series) ru.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia — Pirates of the Caribbean (film series) en.wikipedia.org
Frequently Asked Questions
In what order should you watch the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films?
In release order, which is also the story order: “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003), “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (2006), “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (2007), “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011), “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” (2017).
How many “Pirates of the Caribbean” films have been released?
Five, from 2003 to 2017. Johnny Depp plays Captain Jack Sparrow in all five. A sixth film has not been officially announced.
Can I start with the fourth film?
You can, but it is better to start with the first: the characters and the story develop from one part to the next, and Barbossa and other familiar characters return in both the fourth and fifth films.
Are there scenes after the credits?
Yes: according to plot descriptions on English Wikipedia, there are short scenes in the first, third and fifth films. Wait until the credits end if you watch them back to back.
When will the sixth “Pirates of the Caribbean” film come out?
No date has been announced. We found no official announcement with a director or cast, so this article covers only films that have already been released.
Leave a Reply