How to watch the Pirates of the Caribbean movies in order
Pour some rum and settle in for a pirate marathon.
With no update on a potential Pirates of the Caribbean return to the big screen, whether through a sixth instalment or a spin-off, we've got no choice but to keep watching the original Pirates of the Caribbean movies in order.
If you've got a hankering to rewatch the original movies, or you're a newbie looking to experience them for the first time, the good news is that Pirates is a pretty accessible franchise. Unlike trying to follow the other Disney-owned franchises, like the Marvel movies in order or watch Star Wars in order, the Pirates of the Caribbean timeline is pretty straightforward.
Here's the correct order in which to watch them all, and where you can stream the Pirates of the Caribbean films if you feel in the mood for some rum-loving pirate action.
How to watch the Pirates of the Caribbean movies in order
There's only really one way to watch the Pirates of the Caribbean movies in order, which covers both the release order and chronological order of the five films. This watch order is:
- The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- At World's End (2007)
- On Stranger Tides (2011)
- Dead Men Tell No Tales / Salazar's Revenge (2017)
The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
The original and still the best, The Curse of the Black Pearl introduced us to the character that would forever be linked to Johnny Depp - Jack Sparrow.
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The swashbuckling pirate epic was a joy from start to finish with a great cast, a strong story and one of the more fun blockbusters of the era. It was just as inevitable that sequels would follow as it was that they would never be able to match the height of the one that started it all - it set the bar very high.
Watch now on Amazon Prime Video
Dead Man's Chest (2006)
Dead Man's Chest, while a step down from The Curse of the Black Pearl, is still a great deal of fun at times with some truly exceptional moments sprinkled throughout the bloated running time.
But the fun is certainly not as consistent as what came before and a lot of the time it feels like a movie that is lacking purpose. Still, Bill Nighy as Davy Jones makes it all worthwhile in a performance that even rivals Depp's.
Watch now on Amazon Prime Video
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At World's End (2007)
The conclusion of what was then a trilogy is not the finest hour in the Pirates series. The running time for At World's End is approaching three hours and it feels it, and despite having some truly great action sequences, it feels even more padded and lost in its own story than Dead Man's Chest did.
It is worth watching and Jack Sparrow remains an entertaining centrepiece, but it's fortunate that more movies followed as this would have ended things on a bit of a dud note...
Watch now on Amazon Prime Video
On Stranger Tides (2011)
With many growing frustrated with the direction Pirates of the Caribbean had taken by the end of the third film, hope was high that the fourth, On Stranger Tides, would set things right.
Most of the cast had been jettisoned for a fresh start and while there are some that thought this was the revamp the series needed, the general consensus is that it did not do enough of a course correction and as such was still greeted with a lukewarm reception when it was released.
Watch now on Amazon Prime Video
Dead Men Tell No Tales / Salazar's Revenge (2017)
The fifth Pirates of the Caribbean film (which has a different name depending on where you are in the world) did not do much to reignite the love that casual fans of the series once had.
A lacklustre plot that has been frequently described as incoherent is the main issue many have with Dead Men Tell No Tales but given that it now looks certain that this was the swansong for Jack Sparrow, it remains worth a watch if you want to experience the whole adventure.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing is a post-credits scene, that saw the return of some familiar faces - perhaps indicating a return to the franchise's roots for the sixth movie that we will now likely never see.
Watch now on Amazon Prime Video
How to watch Pirates of the Caribbean in the UK
As a Walt Disney film based on a Disneyland ride of the same name, it's no surprise that all five Pirates of the Caribbean movies are currently streaming on Disney Plus in 4K.
Alternatively, you can buy the Blu-Ray boxset for £19.99 at Amazon.
You can sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 for a year now.
Looking for something else to watch? Check out our list of the best movies on Disney Plus and best shows on Disney Plus, or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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