If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling through Disney+ on a rainy Tuesday, you’ve probably wondered exactly how many Pirates of the Caribbean movies you need to watch to understand why everyone is obsessed with jars of dirt. It’s a fair question. The franchise has been around since 2003, and between the sequels, the spin-off rumors, and Johnny Depp’s various headlines, the timeline feels a bit like navigating the Devil's Triangle without a compass.
Basically, there are five movies currently released.
That’s the short answer. But honestly, if you’re a fan or even just curious, the "real" answer is a bit more complicated because of what's currently cooking in the Disney kitchens for 2026 and beyond. We aren't just looking at a simple list; we're looking at a franchise that refused to sink despite some pretty choppy critical waters.
The Core Five: The Pirates of the Caribbean Movies We Actually Have
Let's break down the ones you can actually watch right now. You’ve got the original trilogy, which most fans agree is the "gold standard," and then the two later entries that tried to keep the wind in the sails.
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- The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003): This is where it all started. Disney took a theme park ride—literally a boat ride with animatronic pirates—and turned it into a $650 million global phenomenon. It’s the movie that gave us Captain Jack Sparrow and made "Why is the rum gone?" a permanent part of the internet's vocabulary.
- Dead Man’s Chest (2006): People forget how massive this was. It was the first one to crack a billion dollars at the box office. It introduced Davy Jones, the Kraken, and that terrifying heart-in-a-box plotline.
- At World’s End (2007): The "finale" of the original story. It’s long. Like, nearly three hours long. It involves a giant maelstrom, a pirate lord meeting, and Keith Richards playing Jack Sparrow’s dad. It wrapped up the Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann arc—or so we thought.
- On Stranger Tides (2011): This one felt different. No Will, no Elizabeth. Just Jack, Barbossa, and Penelope Cruz hunting for the Fountain of Youth. It’s actually the most expensive movie ever made (with a budget that ballooned over $375 million), but it felt a bit smaller in scope compared to the epic maelstrom of the third film.
- Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017): Released as Salazar’s Revenge in some countries, this is the most recent entry. It brought back Javier Bardem as a ghost pirate and gave us a brief glimpse of the original trio back together.
Why Everyone Is Talking About Pirates of the Caribbean 6
So, if there are five movies, why is the internet buzzing about "Pirates 6"?
As of early 2026, Disney is officially back in the pirate business. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has been pretty vocal lately about the fact that they are working on a script. In fact, he’s mentioned that they actually had two different scripts in development at one point.
One version was a female-led "soft reboot" starring Margot Robbie. For a while, everyone thought that project was dead in the water—Robbie herself even said as much in interviews. But fast forward to late 2025 and early 2026, and the word is that the project is alive again. Bruckheimer confirmed that they're trying to "get the script right" before moving forward.
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The Johnny Depp Question
You can't talk about how many Pirates of the Caribbean movies there are without mentioning the Captain himself. For a long time, it looked like Johnny Depp was done with Disney. However, the latest updates from the industry suggest the door isn't totally slammed shut. While the next movie is being billed as a "reboot," there have been "advanced talks" (according to some reports) about Jack Sparrow making a return in some capacity. Whether that's a lead role or a glorified cameo remains the million-dollar question.
The Chronological Order vs. Release Order
If you’re planning a marathon, just stick to the release order. The timeline is linear, so you don't have to deal with the headache of prequels like you do with Star Wars or the MCU.
- 1720s-ish: The events of the first three movies happen in fairly quick succession.
- A few years later: On Stranger Tides picks up with an older, slightly more tired Jack.
- The 1750s: Dead Men Tell No Tales introduces the next generation (Will’s son, Henry).
There’s also a wealth of "extended universe" stuff if you’re a real nerd about it. There are 13 Jack Sparrow books for kids, the Price of Freedom novel that explains Jack's backstory with the East India Trading Company, and even a Sea of Thieves video game expansion that is technically considered "canon" by many fans.
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What’s Next? Actionable Steps for Fans
If you've already binged the five existing films and you're hungry for more, here is what you should actually do:
- Watch the Post-Credits Scenes: Most people skip these. Dead Men Tell No Tales has a massive teaser involving Davy Jones that basically sets up the entire plot for the sixth movie. If you haven't seen it, go back and watch the last three minutes of the fifth film.
- Check the 2026 Release Calendar: While an official date hasn't been set, the production timeline suggests that we might see a trailer for the "reboot" or the Margot Robbie project by the end of this year.
- Explore the "Tales of the Code": There’s a short film called Tales of the Code: Wedlocked that serves as a prequel to the first movie. It’s hard to find but worth the hunt if you want to see how Jack ended up in that sinking boat in the first place.
The franchise might be "dormant," but it’s definitely not dead. With over $4.5 billion in total box office, Disney isn't going to let this ship stay in the harbor for long. Whether we get a total reboot or a legacy sequel, the count of how many Pirates of the Caribbean movies exist is almost certainly going to hit six before the decade is out.