Regardless of whether Jack Sparrow returns forPirates of the Caribbean 6, another important element of the last five movies needs to remain. The reportedstory ofPirates of the Caribbean 6has been in development hell for a while. Despite thepost-credits scene ofPirates of the Caribbean 5teasing the return of Davy Jones now that the curse of the Flying Dutchman has been lifted, the sixth film in the series has struggled to get off the ground for a variety of reasons both concerning storytelling and outside factors.
Pirates of the Caribbean 6has taken so longpartly due to conflicting reports that indicated that a reboot was instead ordered by Disney, throwing a sixth mainline installment into doubt. Beyond that, thecourt case involving Johnny Depp and Amber Heardcast a shadow over the potential return of the former as Captain Jack Sparrow. Regardless of these production issues and the argument over whether Depp should return, one significant aspect of thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise must remain. If it does so, a potential sixth installment could retain what made the previous five movies more special than the average blockbuster.
Pirates Of The Caribbean’s Special & Visual Effects Were Fantastic Across All 5 Movies
Practical Effects & CGI Were Used Perfectly
The element in question is the use of special effects, both practical and visual, in thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise. Since the first film in the saga back in 2003, the special effects of the franchise have been revered. The second and third movies especially received praise for their visual effects, with the rendering of fully CGI characters like the aforementioned Davy Jones being a particular highlight. Every set, prop, and location used practical effects perfectly, while the otherworldly creatures and crew mates of the Flying Dutchman typified near-perfect CGI.
It’s Truly Remarkable How Much This Pirates Of The Caribbean CGI Holds Up, 17 Years Later
Pirates of the Caribbean 2 took the franchise to new lengths in 2006 with its impressive CGI, with one specific design being truly ahead of its time.
Although the fourth and fifth movies in the franchise were not as beloved as Gore Verbinski’s original trilogy, no one can deny that the quality of special effects remained at a high level. InPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,for example, the ghostly effects used to bring Javier Bardem’s Captain Salazar to life were excellent. This extended to other elements of that film, as well as those ofPirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.Disregarding the fluctuating quality of the films themselves,Pirates of the Caribbeanhas never once been found lacking in the visual effects department.
The Pirates Of The Caribbean Films Look Better Than A Lot Of Recent Blockbusters
Because Of The Care & Effort Involved
While it rings true that the visual effects of thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise were revered at the time of their respective releases, the praise has only increased in recent years. A big reason for this is the overall criticism regarding CGI in modern Hollywood.Blockbusters as a whole of late have shown a tendency to be overly reliant on CGIprops, characters, or locations. This, combined with oftentimes rushed post-production schedules, has led recent blockbusters to look underwhelming from a visual perspective.
ThePiratesseries has once more become a barometer for success visually…
As alluded to, this has caused people to look back on movies from the 2000s and early 2010s more fondly, especially where visual effects are concerned. One of the franchises most commonly revisited more fondly in this regard is thePirates of the Caribbeanseries, be it praise forconvincing CGI movie characterslike Davy Jones over more recent characters of the same ilk that lack this authenticity, or the more general wish that a blend of practical and visual effects will return to Hollywood. As a result, thePiratesseries has once more become a barometer for success visually.
Whenever Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Comes Out, It Can’t Be Just Another Blockbuster
The Film Needs Time To Be As Good As Its Best Predecessors
All of this is to say that wheneverPirates of the Caribbean 6is finally placed into active development, it cannot simply be just another blockbuster. Unfortunately, linking to the aforementioned CGI issues in modern Hollywood, many would argue that blockbusters overall have become somewhat lacking in quality in comparison to those of previous eras. Although there are outliers and some big-budget movies are still excellent, superhero movies and other franchise films are being more regularly criticized for how blockbusters have seemingly fallen into an underwhelming category.
10 Blockbuster Movie Tropes We Are All Tired Of
Blockbuster movies tend to follow current trends and tropes, but this can also mean that things begin to feel dull and boring when too many are used.
Oftentimes, last-minute changes are made to modern blockbuster movies, such as extensive reshoots to change an entire story based on test-screening results. These changes often result in not enough time being granted to VFX teams, leading to underwhelming CGI.VFX teams in general struggle to receive manageable work hours or workloads, with many tending to be rushed and overworked to fit studio release dates. Then there is the overall reliance on CGI I have mentioned.
Many blockbusters tend to use extensive green screen sets rather than shoot on-location as used to be the norm. This only puts more work on VFX artists, especially if reshoots used green screen sets to make the rush to the finish line even more hectic. Many have desired a stronger blend of practical and visual effects recently, something that thePirates of the Caribbeanseries was always strong at including. IfPirates of the Caribbean 6ever does come out, the film needs sufficient time to be akin to its predecessors and avoid the pitfalls of modern blockbuster filmmaking.
