Even ifPirates of the Caribbean 6appeared without warning tomorrow, I’m afraid the sequel would already have broken an unenviable record for thePirates of the Caribbeanseries.Pirates of the Caribbean 6is taking its time making it to theaters. The first threePirates of the Caribbeanmovies were released between 2003 and 2007, whileOn Stranger Tidesdidn’t arrive until 2011. Its next sequel,Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, took another six years to arrive in theaters in 2017 and was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews.
However, fromPirates of the Caribbean 6’s uncertain Johnny Depp returnto the franchise’s canceled Margot Robbie reboot, it is fair to say that the next sequel is the slowest of the series so far. Even though it has been almost eight years sincePirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Taleswas released, there is no sign of another sequel to the series arriving anytime soon. It is still not clear whether Depp or any other series stars will return to the next installment, or ifPirates of the Caribbean 6will be a full-blown franchise reboot.
The Wait For Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Is Already The Longest In The Franchise
The Pirates of the Caribbean Movies Never Needed More Than Six Years Between Outings
Even ifPirates of the Caribbean 6was already readyto release, it would still be too late for the series to avoid one unfortunate record.The wait forPirates of the Caribbean 6is already the longest in the history of the blockbuster series, comfortably beating the six-year wait betweenOn Stranger TidesandDead Men Tell No Tales. Before that disappointing sequel arrived in 2017, the four-year gap between the original trilogy andOn Stranger Tidesrepresented a major change from the second and third movies.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Why Will Needed The Black Pearl Explained
The Pirates of the Caribbean movies feature plenty of plot holes, but Will’s plan from 2006’s Dead Man’s Chest is particularly hard to discern.
While there was a three-year wait betweenThe Curse of the Black Pearl’s 2003 sleeper success and 2006’sDead Man’s Chest, the next sequel,At World’s End, arrived only a year later. Although all thePirates of the Caribbeansequels have problems, it was tough to fault the original trilogy’s release schedule. The longer wait between the original movie and its first sequel built up hype while releasingAt World’s Endshortly afterDead Man’s Chestcapitalized on the franchise’s popularity.
Why The Next Pirates Of The Caribbean Movie Is Taking So Long
Johnny Depp’s Uncertain Franchise Future Doesn’t Help The Series
In contrast,the long wait forPirates of the Caribbean 6seemingly proves the franchise has no future plan set in stone. Margot Robbie was rumored to be working on a female-led reboot of the series in 2020 but, by early 2024, this reboot was seemingly dead in the water despiteBarbie’s historic box-office success. Now, the question of whetherPirates of the Caribbean 6will be a direct sequel toDead Men Tell No Tales, a reboot with a new cast, or a spinoff from the original series remains unclear.
ThePirates of the Caribbean franchisehas no clear path forward.
Despite how lucrative the series has historically been, thePirates of the Caribbean franchisehas no clear path forward. Johnny Depp was let go from the series afterDead Men Tell No Tales, but it is not clear whether he will return inPirates of the Caribbean 6. ThePirates of the Caribbeanmovies haveunfinished Jack Sparrow storylinesthat a direct sequel could revisit, but it is worth noting that the franchise’s two Depp-led sequels earned far worse reviews than the original trilogy. Thus, his comeback may not be the guaranteed success fans may hope for.
What Will Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Actually Look Like?
Pirates of the Caribbean 6 Could Be A Spinoff A Sequel Or A Reboot
While Depp has a large and vocal fan base,On Stranger Tideswas met with largely negative reviews andDead Men Tell No Taleswas both a box-office disappointment and a critical failure.Johnny Depp’s presence alone might not savePirates of the Caribbean 6and could even prove a liability for the sequel, leaving the franchise feeling profoundly unmoored 22 years after the original movie’s box office success. If the series does drop Depp, there are many options open for its future, but none are sure to succeed.
2003
80%
2006
53%
2007
44%
2011
33%
2017
30%
A spinoff could expand on the world of the series and bring back existing characters, but could feel inessential without major players returning.Pirates of the Caribbean’s original trilogy subplotswere confusing enough without more lore, so this option may fail. However, aPirates of the Caribbeanreboot that drops the entire original cast could feel like a mere retread of the original and end up appealing to no one. Thus, it is easy to see whyPirates of the Caribbean 6is taking so long, since thePirates of the Caribbeanmovies don’t know what to do next.
