Henry Morgan, Blackbeard, Calico Jack, the Barbarossa Brothers, Sir Francis Drake, Madame Cheng: just a few names of many from a long history of global piracy throughout history. While the stories may be exaggerated, these figures truly did exist. Some of the more exaggerated tales told of mystical curses, disappearing ships, pirates from hell, and various supernatural happenings that would turn into modern narratives we see today. While the movies about a pirate's life in today's cinema strongly romanticize the concept, the true nature of piracy is and was desperation, distrust, greed, bureaucracy, and territorial dominance. Despite this, pirate characters in pop culture continue to grow in popularity, with Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as the prime example. While pirates are not painted to be the best of character considering their contrasting morals and poor hygiene, their redeeming qualities in cinema make viewers excited to see them on screen each and every time.
Thanks to this phenomenon, we have a whole list of pirate movies that allow audiences to dive into their favorite, embellished tales of wonder and exploration.
Avast, ye scamperin’ scaliwags! Here be the treasures of the pirate cinema high seas.
Treasure Island (1934)
The most classic of pirate tales based on the novel that inspired many other iterations, Treasure Island encapsulates the spirit of the pirate world through the eyes of a young, aspiring traveler. When his curiosity and taste for adventure is ignited by a wandering pirate blabbering about buried treasure, young Jim Hawkins (Jackie Cooper) accompanies a new, pirate friend Long John Silver (Wallace Beery) in a journey to find said treasure. Following the structure of The Heroes Journey, Treasure Island is an undeniable classic in the world of cinema and an indelible staple in the pirate cinema sub-genre.
Peter Pan (1953)
A signature of the Disney classic collection, Peter Pan is a tale of imagination and magic that, again, has inspired many other variations of the narrative. Whisked away to the magical world of Neverland by the hero Peter Pan (Bobby Driscoll), Wendy Darling (Kathryn Beaumont) and her brothers travel to a plane of eternal youth and great evils that threaten to take away their happiness. The main villain of the story, Captain Hook, is an early example of some of the most prevalent pirate stereotypes: a hook for a hand, a crew of savage pirates, a dashing outfit suited for a ship captain, a wicked disposition, and a thirst for revenge.
Treasure Planet (2002)
Based on the aforementioned pirate classic Treasure Island, Treasure Planet follows a very similar narrative structure made into an animated, sci-fi odyssey for kids. Alienated from his community as a slacker and a rebel, young Jim Hawkins (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) acquires a treasure map from a dying pirate at their inn that sends him on an unforgettable campaign into the cosmos. While the physics of the movie don’t quite stay consistent throughout and the concept of sailing ships in space is a bit outlandish, a strong suspension of disbelief will help any viewer enjoy this animated classic.
Captain Phillips (2013)
A much more grounded, contemporary pirate tale in cinema is Captain Phillips: a film based on a true story of Somali pirates and the cargo ship captain who attempts to keep them away. What makes this tale unique is that it is based on a real instance in 2009, when for the first time in 200 years, an American cargo ship was hijacked by pirates and the captain taken captive. While it is a good film to watch for the performances and story, it is a one-of-a-kind pirate film in how modern it is.
Read our review of Captain Phillips.
The Princess Bride (1987)
Hailed as a classic defined by its many sub-genres and great performances, The Princess Bride is part pirate tale, part romance, part fantasy, and many others. Torn away from his one true love after being abducted by the Dread Pirate Roberts, Westley (Cary Elwes) must face a various onslaught of foes standing between him and everlasting love. While it is not entirely focused on the pirate sub-genre, this enduring classic’s plot is kickstarted by pirates and directly shapes the character and abilities of our strong-willed hero.
Hook (1991)
Based on the tale of Peter Pan and his life after Neverland, Hook is an arguably underrated Spielberg flick that showcases some great performances and an interesting concept. When his children are stolen away from him by the notorious Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman), Peter Banning AKA Peter Pan (Robin Williams) is forced to travel back to Neverland and re-discover his passion for adventure as well as his identity. Though there are some areas of this movie lacking in quality and overall effort, the scope is much more focused on Pan’s life as a young warrior and fighter of dastardly pirates.
Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
Full of all the silliness to be expected in a Muppets movie, Muppet Treasure Island is an enjoyable variation of the pirate classic with some funny cameos and jokes that make it fun for the whole family. Instead of the muppets taking over the classic characters Billy Bones (Billy Connolly), Long John Silver (Tim Curry), and Jim Hawkins (Kevin Bishop) as one might expect, the Muppets simply tag along as side characters to feature in this quest as commentary and relatable audience members. For any fans of The Muppets or enjoyers of quality parodies, this is a must-watch.
Porco Rosso (1952)
Likely the most off-the-wall addition to this list, Porco Rosso is a fantastical tale from Hayao Miyazaki that deserves a spot nonetheless. Cursed to have the appearance of a human-like pig, Porco Rosso (Shûichirô Moriyama) is an Italian World War I fighter pilot that takes to the skies to fight off pirate aviators and stop their immoral acts. Celebrated by some as one of the more obscure, quality Miyazaki films, Porco Rosso holds a special place in the hearts of many.
See our guide to the best Studio Ghibli movies.
Serenity (2005)
Inspired by the beloved sci-fi series Firefly, Serenity is a continuation of events from the series that provides a well-deserved conclusion to the unjustly canceled Joss Whedon hit series. Attempting to avoid the capture of their telepathic crewmate River (Summer Glau) from an assassin, Mal (Nathan Fillion) and his crew of loyal shipmates must traverse space and face all of its unpredictable obstacles and deadly foes. Though the crew on the ship Serenity aren’t quite pirates, one of their main and most deadly foes are the Reavers: a group of sub-human cannibals that most certainly fit the bill.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
The mother of all pirate movie franchises: Pirates of the Caribbean was the first movie to make piracy sexy. With a cast including Orlando Bloom, Kiera Knightley, Jack Davenport, and Johnny Depp as the most attractive pirate of all time, nobody would see pirates the same again. With an impressive–yet progressively suffering–5-film streak, this is a saga that gives life to all of the exaggerated pirate tales and characters in pirate lore history. With characters, creatures and concepts such as Davy Jones and his ‘locker’, Captain Salazar and his crew of ghosts, the fountain of youth, cursed treasure, the Kraken, the sea-goddess Calypso, The Flying Dutchman, and many more, the many tales of the sea have all been wrapped up into these 5 pirate films.
See our guide to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies in order.
Connor Sheppard is an Oregon-grown culture writer for IGN. Intrigued from a young age by pop culture and movies, he has developed into an experienced critic and consumer of all things media.
