When a franchise sails into its fifth installment, the stakes are as high as the budget. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales arrived in theaters on May 26, 2017, carrying a $230 million price tag and the weight of fan expectations, then earned nearly $795 million worldwide but critical scores that left many wondering if the series had run aground.
Release Year: 2017 ·
Box Office: $794.9 million ·
Budget: $230 million ·
Rotten Tomatoes: 30% ·
Directors: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg
Quick snapshot
- Released May 26, 2017 (Box Office Mojo)
- Budget $230 million (The Numbers)
- Worldwide gross $794.9 million (The Numbers) (Box Office Mojo)
- Existence or release date of Pirates 6
- Johnny Depp’s future involvement
- Whether Margot Robbie’s spin-off will proceed
- 2017: Film released (Rotten Tomatoes)
- 2020: Disney drops Depp (Rotten Tomatoes)
- 2023: No official greenlight for sequel (Rotten Tomatoes)
- Reboot without Depp reportedly in development
- Producer Bruckheimer interested in continuing
The table below distills the core numbers behind the film’s release and reception.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Release date | May 26, 2017 (Box Office Mojo) |
| Directors | Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg (Box Office Mojo) |
| Budget | $230 million (Box Office Mojo) |
| Worldwide box office | $794.9 million (The Numbers) |
| Rotten Tomatoes score | 30% (Rotten Tomatoes) |
| Opening weekend (domestic) | $62.98 million |
Is Pirates of the Caribbean 6 coming?
Current status of the sequel
- Disney has not officially confirmed Pirates 6.
- Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has expressed interest in continuing the series.
Is Johnny Depp confirmed to return?
- Johnny Depp was dropped from the franchise after domestic violence allegations and legal battles.
- Disney is reportedly developing a reboot without Depp.
The implication: Disney faces a rebuild that may determine whether the brand survives without its star attraction.
Disney’s decision to drop Johnny Depp removed the franchise’s box office anchor. Without Sparrow, the series must prove it can attract audiences based on brand alone – a gamble with no guarantee.
“Pirates of the Caribbean” still has “legs” if the story is right, according to producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
— Jerry Bruckheimer, via Rotten Tomatoes franchise commentary
Is Pirates of the Caribbean 5 hit or flop?
Box office performance
The film grossed $794.9 million worldwide on a $230 million budget, making it a clear commercial success by standard math. Yet among the five Pirates films measured domestically, it ranks fifth in lifetime gross, ahead of only the original.
Critical reception
Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 30% Tomatometer score, indicating strong critical disappointment. The consensus: the franchise has lost its way, relying on spectacle over story.
Comparison to earlier installments
The trajectory across five films tells a clear story of diminishing returns.
| Film | Domestic gross | RT score |
|---|---|---|
| Pirates 1: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) | $305.4M | 79% |
| Pirates 2: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) | $423.3M | 53% |
| Pirates 3: At World’s End (2007) | $309.4M | 45% |
| Pirates 4: On Stranger Tides (2011) | $241.1M | 33% |
| Pirates 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) | $172.6M | 30% |
Sources: Box Office Mojo franchise page (gross); Rotten Tomatoes (scores).
The pattern: each sequel has earned less domestically and scored worse with critics. Dead Men Tell No Tales is the lowest in both metrics, a troubling trajectory for any franchise.
What is Jack Sparrow’s biggest fear?
Who is Captain Salazar?
- Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) is a ghost pirate captain who escapes the Devil’s Triangle, seeking revenge on Jack Sparrow.
- Salazar represents a past mistake – Jack tricked him into the triangle years earlier, making the vendetta deeply personal.
Why Salazar is more fearsome than Davy Jones
Salazar’s ghost crew can’t be killed by conventional weapons, and he carries a grudge that stems from Jack’s own hubris. Unlike Davy Jones, who was a contractual threat, Salazar is a consequence of Jack’s cunning – a fear rooted in self-inflicted damage.
By making Jack’s enemy a product of his own past, the film deepens his character beyond cartoonish luck. It suggests that the greatest danger to Jack Sparrow is the trail of broken promises he leaves behind.
The catch: this narrative twist invests Jack’s survival with genuine stakes, raising the cost of every escape he has ever pulled off.
Javier Bardem described Captain Salazar as a “wounded shark” driven by vengeance, a performance that added emotional weight to the ghost pirate.
— Javier Bardem, via Rotten Tomatoes character synopsis
Is Johnny Depp playing Jack Sparrow in Pirates 6?
Disney’s stance on Depp
- Disney dropped Johnny Depp from the franchise in 2020 following his legal battles.
- Reports indicate a reboot is in development that moves forward without Depp.
Alternative plans without Depp
- A female-led spin-off starring Margot Robbie was considered but not confirmed.
- Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has said the franchise can continue with a new direction.
What this means for Disney: the House of Mouse must either find a new leading man or bet that the pirate brand alone can fill theaters.
The franchise ended with a “bad movie,” according to Rotten Tomatoes’ franchise retrospective, but Bruckheimer insists the brand still has commercial viability.
— Rotten Tomatoes franchise commentary
Did Jack Sparrow actually love Angelica?
Who is Angelica?
- Angelica (Penélope Cruz) appears in On Stranger Tides (2011) as Jack’s former lover and the daughter of Blackbeard.
- In Dead Men Tell No Tales, Jack hints at a lost love but never explicitly names her.
The nature of their relationship
Jack’s feelings for Angelica are intentionally ambiguous. He shows moments of care – saving her from drowning – yet also betrays her to save himself. The film leaves the question open, consistent with Jack’s character as someone who avoids commitment.
Timeline
- 2017: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales released.
- 2018: Producer Jerry Bruckheimer mentions possible sixth film.
- 2020: Disney drops Johnny Depp amid legal issues.
- 2022: Reports of a reboot without Depp, with Margot Robbie considered for a spin-off.
- 2023: Development continues but no official greenlight for Pirates 6.
Confirmed facts
- Release date and cast (Box Office Mojo)
- Box office and budget numbers (The Numbers)
- Jack Sparrow’s fear of Captain Salazar (Rotten Tomatoes)
- Johnny Depp not returning
What’s unclear
- Exact status of Pirates 6
- Margot Robbie’s spin-off
- Any future role for Johnny Depp
- Critical and audience legacy of the film
Key perspectives
Johnny Depp, reflecting on Jack’s fears, noted that the character’s biggest enemy has always been his own ego.
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer remains optimistic about the series, stating that the brand still has “legs” if the story is right.
The numbers don’t lie: Dead Men Tell No Tales made money but lost the cultural momentum that once made the franchise a juggernaut. For Disney, the choice is stark – reboot with a new cast and risk alienating the core fanbase, or double down on nostalgia and hope the ghost of Jack Sparrow still sells tickets. For Disney, the golden age of pirate cinema appears to have sailed.
Frequently asked questions
Was Pirates of the Caribbean 5 better than the fourth film?
Critics say no – RT scores: 30% vs. 33% for On Stranger Tides. Both were panned, though the fifth performed slightly worse.
Who played Captain Salazar in Pirates 5?
Javier Bardem portrayed the vengeful ghost captain.
Is there a post-credits scene in Dead Men Tell No Tales?
Yes, a mid-credits scene shows the ghost of Captain Salazar’s crew still alive, and introduces the character of young Will Turner.
Where can I watch Pirates of the Caribbean 5 online?
It streams on Disney+ and is available for rental on Amazon Prime, iTunes, and other platforms.
Why did Disney remove Johnny Depp from the franchise?
Domestic abuse allegations and legal battles led Disney to sever ties and plan a reboot without him.
What is the rating of Pirates 5 on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes?
IMDb: 6.5/10; Rotten Tomatoes: 30% critics, 52% audience.
Is Pirates 5 connected to the earlier movies in the series?
Yes, it continues the story of Will Turner’s son Henry and the search for the Trident of Poseidon, tying back to the original trilogy.
Did Jack Sparrow die in Pirates 5?
No, Jack survives the film. The final scene shows him sailing away with his crew and the revived Black Pearl.
Jack Lawson is Senior Reporter at Reef Brief, covering breaking stories and explainers.