6 Movies That Failed to Be the Next Pirates of the Caribbean

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The Pirates of the Caribbean movies are among Disney’s biggest hits, consistently earning huge amounts of money at the box office for many years. After a period where its future was unclear, a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film is now confirmed, and there’s talk that Johnny Depp will reprise his famous role as Captain Jack Sparrow.

As a huge movie fan, I remember when Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl came out in 2003 – it was a phenomenon! Ever since then, Disney and other studios have been desperately trying to create another blockbuster like it. We’ve seen so many potential franchises attempt to follow in Pirates‘ footsteps, but they always seem to fall flat, constantly being compared to, and overshadowed by, the original. They all wanted that Pirates magic, but none of them could quite capture it.

The Lone Ranger Was Disney’s Official Pirates of the Caribbean Replacement

Released in 2013, The Lone Ranger is a Western adventure starring Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as his trusted sidekick, Tonto. The film reunited the team behind the Pirates of the Caribbean movies – producer Jerry Bruckheimer and writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio – and Disney invested heavily in it, hoping to launch a successful new franchise.

Despite high hopes, The Lone Ranger didn’t perform as well as Pirates of the Caribbean. It lacked the fresh feel and enjoyable spirit that made Pirates so popular. The film also faced criticism, particularly regarding Johnny Depp’s portrayal of a Native American character. As a result, plans for a series of Lone Ranger movies were abandoned, and it remained a single film.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Squandered Its Potential

One of Disney’s less successful attempts to recreate the magic of Pirates of the Caribbean is Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Released in 2010 and based on the popular video game series, the film follows a hero on a dangerous mission to uncover the truth behind his father’s murder using the mystical Sands of Time. While it aimed for the same epic scope and action-packed adventure as Pirates of the Caribbean, it didn’t achieve the same lasting popularity as a franchise.

Although Prince of Persia is somewhat enjoyable, it doesn’t really stand out. It failed to excite fans of Pirates of the Caribbean or satisfy video game players. Considering how much better video game movies have become since its release, Prince of Persia hasn’t aged well. Now, it’s mostly been forgotten, a disappointment considering Disney’s hopes for a major franchise.

Pan Tried to Launch a New Dark Fantasy Saga

Warner Bros.’ Pan, released in 2015, tells the story of Peter Pan’s beginnings and his first adventure in Neverland. Similar to Pirates of the Caribbean, it’s a visually effects-heavy action film that had the potential to launch a series of movies. However, the film wasn’t well-received.

The movie Pan was tonally all over the place, awkwardly mixing unexpectedly grim scenes with upbeat, musical interludes. This new take on Peter Pan didn’t capture the charm of earlier versions, nor did it replicate the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean films.

Robin Hood Tried Really Hard to Be a New Franchise

Lionsgate tried to launch a major fantasy series similar to Pirates of the Caribbean with their 2018 film Robin Hood, starring Taron Egerton. Though grittier than Pirates of the Caribbean, the movie aimed to be the start of a new franchise centered on the classic Robin Hood story. However, it ended up being a largely unremarkable adaptation.

The movie didn’t capture what makes Robin Hood such a beloved character, and it felt bland compared to fun, lively franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean. Trying to update the story and characters felt wrong and took away from the charm of the original tales. Ultimately, the film wasn’t successful and there were no plans to make any follow-up movies.

Jungle Cruise Repeats All the Same Story Beats as Pirates of the Caribbean

Many consider Jungle Cruise to be heavily inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean. The 2021 film, starring Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson, like Pirates, began as a Disney theme park ride. The stories share a lot of similarities: both feature a determined duo who team up with a somewhat questionable captain haunted by a past connected to an old curse and his former shipmates.

Despite being very similar to Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise might be the closest any film has come to capturing the magic of that franchise. The movie is enjoyable, largely thanks to the great chemistry between Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson, who have since collaborated on other projects. However, Jungle Cruise was released in theaters and on Disney+ at the same time, which likely hurt its box office performance and overall impact.

John Carter Is Disney’s Biggest Flop

Disney hoped John Carter would be the start of a major new film series, but it turned out to be one of their biggest box office failures. The movie stars Taylor Kitsch as a Civil War soldier who unexpectedly finds himself on Mars, caught up in a war to defeat the planet’s cruel rulers. Like Pirates of the Caribbean, it was a large-scale, imaginative adventure designed to immerse viewers in a sprawling, fantastical setting.

While Pirates of the Caribbean was captivating, John Carter didn’t have the same appeal. Viewers had trouble connecting with the characters, and the story felt unoriginal. Combined with a lackluster title for a science fiction movie, the film was a significant financial failure for Disney. Even now, John Carter is remembered as one of Disney’s biggest box office disappointments, especially when compared to the huge success of Pirates of the Caribbean.

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2026-03-06 23:07