Every ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Movie Ranked from Worst to Best

From a theme-park ride to a globe-spanning juggernaut, the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise sails through cursed gold, sea legends, and political machinations on the high seas. Below, the five films are presented in a countdown from worst to best based on audience reception data, with quick, useful snapshots of who made them, what they cover, and how they fared at the box office. Titles are formatted for easy reference, and each entry sticks to clear facts about cast, crew, premise, production, and performance.

‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’ (2017)

Directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, this fifth entry follows Captain Jack Sparrow as he seeks the Trident of Poseidon while evading ghostly pursuer Captain Salazar; Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, Kaya Scodelario, and Brenton Thwaites co-star. Principal photography took place largely in Queensland, with large-scale tank and open-water work. The film took in about $172.6 million domestically and roughly $623.4 million internationally, for a worldwide total near $795.9 million. Jeff Nathanson wrote the screenplay, building on characters created by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio.

‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ (2011)

Rob Marshall stepped in to direct this standalone sequel centered on a quest for the Fountain of Youth, with Penélope Cruz joining the series as Angelica and Ian McShane portraying Blackbeard alongside returning leads. The story is loosely based on Tim Powers’ novel ‘On Stranger Tides’, adapted by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it became a billion-dollar earner worldwide. Production credits include cinematography by Dariusz Wolski and music by Hans Zimmer.

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

Gore Verbinski directs the third installment, which reunites the ensemble to rescue Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones’ Locker and rally the Brethren Court against the East India Trading Company. Box-office receipts reached about $309.4 million domestic and roughly $651.6 million international, totaling close to $961.0 million worldwide. The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Makeup and Best Visual Effects. Key creatives included producer Jerry Bruckheimer, writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and composer Hans Zimmer.

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

Also directed by Gore Verbinski, this chapter expands the mythos with Davy Jones, the Flying Dutchman, and the Kraken, with Bill Nighy joining the ensemble alongside returning leads. It became the franchise’s top global grosser, earning about $423.3 million domestic and roughly $642.9 million international for a worldwide total near $1.066 billion. The film set multiple opening records on release and later won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Jerry Bruckheimer produced, with Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio credited for the screenplay and Hans Zimmer composing the score.

‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)

Gore Verbinski launched the series with this tale of cursed Aztec gold linking Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, and Elizabeth Swann, with Geoffrey Rush’s Barbossa commanding the undead crew of the Black Pearl. The film grossed about $305.4 million domestic and roughly $348.9 million international, totaling close to $654.3 million worldwide. It earned multiple major-award nominations and established the template for the franchise’s blend of supernatural adventure and seafaring spectacle. Klaus Badelt composed the score under music producer Hans Zimmer, and Jerry Bruckheimer produced.

Have your own order—or a favorite set-piece at sea? Drop your take in the comments!