Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Prepare to be blown out of the water.
When wily pirate Captain Barbossa seizes Jack Sparrow’s beloved ship, the Black Pearl, and kidnaps the governor’s daughter, Elizabeth Swann, blacksmith Will Turner reluctantly teams up with the unpredictable pirate Jack to rescue her—only to uncover a terrifying curse that turns Barbossa’s crew into the undead.
| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 9 July 2003 |
| Genre | Adventure, Fantasy, Action |
| Director | Gore Verbinski |
| Starring | Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush and Orlando Bloom |
| Runtime | 143 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 7.1/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 79% · Metacritic 63/100 · TMDB users 7.8/10 |
| Budget | $140 million |
| Box office | $654 million worldwide |
Where to watch Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is streaming on Disney+ ($15.99 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Disney+ is $15.99 at list price.
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What kind of watch this is
Gore Verbinski directed this 143-minute adventure, and it runs long because it refuses to be polite. Johnny Depp plays a pirate who is less a hero and more a complicating factor in a rescue mission. Geoffrey Rush turns the antagonist into a figure of genuine dread, anchoring the fantasy in something colder. The film works because it trusts its own chaotic energy. It is loud, it is weird, and it does not care if you notice the seams. That is precisely why it still holds up.
What the critics said
The reception is solid, though not quite a miracle. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 79% approval rating as of January 2026, while Metacritic lands on a 63/100 Metascore. That is a comfortable middle ground, safe enough for a blockbuster. Duane Dudek of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel called it a "wickedly funny" distraction. Gregory Weinkauf of the Dallas Observer loved it, but noted the bloat. He compared the experience to loving The Phantom Menace, which is a compliment with a warning label attached.
How it did with audiences
It cost $140 million and took in $654 million worldwide, with $305 million of that coming from the United States. That math makes it a solid hit, or at least a very expensive one that paid its debts. On TMDB, users rate it 7.8 out of 10. Critics had predicted a bomb, given the pirate genre’s recent slump. They were wrong.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Sources
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q46717 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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