How to Watch Pirates of the Caribbean Movies in Order

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise consists of five feature-length films and one short film, generating over $4.5 billion worldwide. This guide outlines two methods for viewing: release order and chronological narrative order.

The release order begins with the 2003 debut The Curse of the Black Pearl and concludes with 2017's Dead Men Tell No Tales. The chronological order places the short film Tales of the Code – Wedlocked first, setting the stage before the main storyline begins.

All films are currently available to stream on Disney+, allowing fans to easily navigate the swashbuckling saga of Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, and Elizabeth Swann.

The Pirates of the Caribbean film series is a highly successful media franchise based on the Disney theme park attractions. According to the source material, there are exactly five feature-length movies and one short film included in the official canon. While the universe has been expanded through novels, comics, and video games, this guide focuses exclusively on the theatrical and short film releases.

The series is an ideal candidate for a movie marathon due to its manageable size. The films are as follows:

• 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)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Tales of the Code – Wedlocked (2011 - short film)

For those looking to stream the entire collection, all titles are available on Disney+. The platform offers a standalone subscription starting at $9.99, with options to bundle with Hulu, HBO Max, or ESPN Unlimited. Physical releases are also available for those who prefer a tangible collection.

Watching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies in release order is the traditional way to experience the saga. This order allows viewers to witness the evolution of the characters, special effects, and storytelling techniques as they happened historically. The narrative introduces the world gradually, starting with the mystery of the Black Pearl and expanding into a complex web of mythology involving Davy Jones, the Fountain of Youth, and the East India Trading Company.

The official release order is:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
2. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
5. Pirates of the Caribbean: Tales of the Code – Wedlocked (2011 - short film)
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)

It is worth noting that the short film Tales of the Code – Wedlocked was released between the fourth and fifth feature films. However, because it is a prequel, some viewers may prefer to watch it at the very beginning of the marathon, as detailed in the chronological section below.

For a narrative-focused marathon, viewing the Pirates of the Caribbean films in chronological order provides a different perspective. This sequence places the short film Tales of the Code – Wedlocked at the start, followed by the main timeline established in The Curse of the Black Pearl. Note: The following section contains mild spoilers regarding characters, settings, and broad plot points.

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: Tales of the Code – Wedlocked (2011)

Released between the fourth and fifth movies as part of a Blu-ray/DVD box set, Tales of the Code – Wedlocked is a short film set before The Curse of the Black Pearl. Vanessa Branch and Lauren Maher reprise their roles as Giselle and Scarlett. The short centers around the two women both believing themselves to be betrothed to Jack Sparrow. Alas, they were fooled, and the duo becomes the object of a rowdy auction. It is not essential to the wider chronology, though if you are looking for the complete Pirates experience, it is an easy watch with a 10-minute runtime.

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

From this point on, the release date and narrative chronologies of the Pirates movies align. The Curse of the Black Pearl, the series’ first movie, takes viewers back to the early 18th century during the Golden Age of Piracy. The debut film introduces us to the series' main characters: Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp), Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), and Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). A young Will Turner is rescued from a shipwreck with a gold medallion around his neck. The medallion is linked to a curse that afflicts the pirate crew of Jack Sparrow's former ship, the Black Pearl, with tortured immortality. The crew is now led by the mutinous Captain Barbossa. Will and Jack set aside their differences to rescue Elizabeth Swann, who was taken by Barbossa along with the medallion. Jack’s allegiance flip-flops and then flips again. The trio survives the encounter and ultimately lifts the curse, though the movie ends with Jack wanted for piracy.

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

Jack, Will, and Elizabeth return for another seafaring adventure in Dead Man’s Chest. The series’ second movie introduces Naomie Harris’s priestess Tia Dalma, Stellan Skarsgard’s Bill Turner (Will’s father), Tom Hollander’s Cutler Beckett, and Bill Nighy’s Davy Jones, captain of the Flying Dutchman ghost ship. Jack, Will, Elizabeth, and James Norrington (Jack Davenport) all, with different motivations, set out to find the Dead Man’s Chest and Davy Jones’s heart within. Swashbuckling and backstabbing once again ensue, and only one escapes with Davy Jones’s heart, granting them control of Jones and therefore the seas. As for Captain Jack, he ends Dead Man’s Chest dragged to the depths of the sea by the Kraken. Tia Dalma, meanwhile, resurrects a familiar foe from Black Pearl to lead the rescue mission for Jack.

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

The third Pirates movie is an action-packed adventure that pits the franchise’s heroes against Davy Jones and the Flying Dutchman, now controlled by Cutler Beckett. The heroes first team up to rescue Jack from Davy Jones’s Locker and recover the Black Pearl. After doing so, the crew’s varying motivations lead to the usual plotting and backstabbing. Along the way, we discover Tia’s true identity and meet Jack’s father, the pirate captain Edward Teague (Keith Richards). By the end, Elizabeth comes into power, Will and Jack defeat Davy Jones, and a new captain takes control of the Flying Dutchman. A pregnant Elizabeth and Will part ways, while Jack and the revived Hector Barbossa set out separately to discover the Fountain of Youth.

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

On Stranger Tides is the first Pirates film without Will/Orlando Bloom and Elizabeth/Keira Knightley. Ian McShane and Penelope Cruz stepped into the vacant support roles, portraying Blackbeard and Angelica, respectively. The plot centers on Jack Sparrow being forced onto the Queen Anne’s Revenge by Blackbeard to help locate the legendary Fountain of Youth. The film introduces mermaids and the Spanish Navy into the franchise's lore.

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

The fifth main installment, Dead Men Tell No Tales, brings back Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann and introduces Paul McCartney as Jack’s father, Edward Teague. The story follows Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) seeking revenge against Jack Sparrow, while Will Turner struggles with the curse of the Flying Dutchman. This film serves as a conclusion to the current arc of the series.