Pirates of the Caribbean Movies Ranked

We’re ranking every movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean series! We start with the Certified Fresh Curse of the Black Pearl that catapulted Johnny Depp from cult darling to international star. That’s followed up with the rest of the original trilogy featuring Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, and then franchise extenders On Stranger Tides and Dead Men Tell No Tales. —Alex Vo

#1

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
80%

#1

Adjusted Score: 87671%

Critics Consensus: May leave you exhausted like the theme park ride that inspired it; however, you'll have a good time when it's over.

Synopsis: Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) arrives at Port Royal in the Caribbean without a ship or crew. His timing is... [More]

Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley

Directed By: Gore Verbinski

#2

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
53%

#2

Adjusted Score: 62392%

Critics Consensus: Gone is Depp's unpredictability and much of the humor and originality of the first movie.

Synopsis: When ghostly pirate Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) comes to collect a blood debt, Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) must find... [More]

Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Bill Nighy

Directed By: Gore Verbinski

#3

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
44%

#3

Adjusted Score: 53064%

Critics Consensus: POTC: AWE provides the thrilling action scenes, but mixes in too many characters with too many incomprehensible plot threads.

Synopsis: Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) join forces with Capt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) to free Jack Sparrow... [More]

Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush

Directed By: Gore Verbinski

#4

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
33%

#4

Adjusted Score: 44234%

Critics Consensus: It's shorter and leaner than the previous sequel, but this Pirates runs aground on a disjointed plot and a non-stop barrage of noisy action sequences.

Synopsis: The checkered past of Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) catches up to him when he encounters Angelica (Penélope Cruz), a... [More]

Starring: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush

Directed By: Rob Marshall

#5

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)
30%

#5

Adjusted Score: 46055%

Critics Consensus: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales proves that neither a change in directors nor an undead Javier Bardem is enough to drain this sinking franchise's murky bilge.

Synopsis: Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Capt. Jack Sparrow feels the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when... [More]

Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites

Directed By: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg