Nearly 20 years after its release, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is experiencing a powerful resurgence on streaming platforms. The film, originally released in 2003, has sailed back into Disney+’s global Top 10 this week, after already reaching the very top of the platform’s charts earlier in July.
When the film first premiered in 2003, it defied expectations and turned a pirate adventure into one of the biggest box office surprises of the early 2000s. It grossed over $654 million worldwide on a $140 million budget and earned five Oscar nominations, all very well deserved, and a groundbreaking nod for Johnny Depp’s eccentric performance as Jack Sparrow. Now, 20 years later, new audiences are rediscovering the swashbuckling adventure. The movie currently holds an impressive 79% critics and 86% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, a solid 8.1 rating on IMDb, and a rare A-grade from CinemaScore, as well.
The Curse of the Black Pearl is directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Its storyline introduced the world to the iconic Jack Sparrow (sorry, Captain Jack Sparrow), alongside Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). Sparrow, a roguish pirate, teams up with blacksmith Will to rescue Elizabeth from the cursed Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and his undead crew.
‘Pirates of the Caribbean 6’ Is Officially in Development and Johnny Depp Could Return
The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is sailing ahead with its sixth installment, with the unofficial working title: Pirates of the Caribbean: A Day at the Sea. Though the release date and casting information have not been confirmed yet, fans do know that Depp might return as Jack Sparrow, but only if he likes the way the role is written. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, producer Jerry Bruckheimer explained that, although the movie is a reboot, he personally wants Depp to return to the franchise. He showed his eagerness to work with Depp in the following words:
“If he likes the way the part’s written, I think he would do it. It’s all about what’s on the page, as we all know… We are still working on a screenplay. We want to make it. We just got to get the right screenplay.”
He went on to reveal that the script is currently being written by Jeff Nathanson, who has also previously worked on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. As for Depp, he is returning to screens in Lionsgate’s upcoming action thriller, Day Drinker, alongside Penélope Cruz. The production of the film began in April 2025, and it is slated for a release in 2026.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is currently available to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.