The latest Pirates of the Caribbean film is out soon so we thought we’d do a helpful recap to remind you what happened in the previous films. Splice the mainbrace! We’ve got a lot to cover.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 1: The Curse Of The Black Pearl

The first adventure in the series. We are introduced to Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), as well as Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) is the main baddie with James Norrington (Jack Davenport) as the person Swann didn’t want to marry even if her dad insisted. Joshamee Hamish Gibbs (Kevin McNally) helps the gang along by providing essential pirate knowledge. There are rules on the high-seas even amongst cut-throat swabs.

Barbossa and his crew of skeleton pirates are after a magical coin that just happens to be around Elizabeth Swann’s neck. Miss Swann is kidnapped and Will enlists Jack Sparrow to help him get her back. The pirates want to remove the curse on them. Apparently being a skeleton pirate isn’t all fun and games, sometimes you just want to eat an apple.

In the end Jack gets his ship back, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann realize they love each other and decide that being pirates is way more fun than being apprentice blacksmiths / high society ladies.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest

We finally get to meet Will’s dad old Bootstrap Bill Turner (Stellan Skarsgård) and Elizabeth Swann becomes a pirate swapping corsets for swords. Naomie Harris joins the cast as the mysterious Tia Dalma. Ragetti (MacKenzie Crook) and Pintel (Lee Arenberg) are goodies now turning from sinister henchmen to comic relief. Barbossa goes from the ultimate baddie to just misunderstood, even if you can’t trust him 100%.

Davey Jones turns up as an evil octo-pirate, played by Bill Nighy. Davy Jones is angry with Jack Sparrow and he uses his army of fish pirates (instead of skeleton pirates in the first film) and submersible ship, The Flying Dutchman, to capture him.

As well as his magical fish pirates and a ship that breaks the rules, Davey Jones also has control of a Kraken and everyone wants a go on it. Especially Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) from the East India Trading Company who wants to use it to destroy all pirates. The film does not end well for our pirate pals, but luckily there is a sequel!

Pirates Of The Caribbean 3: At World’s End

Elizabeth Swann has now fully transformed into a pirate queen (perhaps inspired by the legendary real-life pirate queen - Ching Shih) and now a master sword fighter. Jack Sparrow’s dad turns up played by Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones, a fun nod to the fact that Keith Richards was in part in the inspiration for Jack Sparrow.

The gang have to go to the end of the world to get Jack Sparrow back from Davey Jones’s locker. To do this they are aided by Sao Feng (Chow Yun-fat) who has a map to help them get there.

There is a massive fight at the end between the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman. Will is wounded in a duel with Davey Jones (killing Jones in the process).

Will Turner then becomes the new captain of the Flying Dutchman for the next ten years because of magical rules, but not before he and Elizabeth can have a bit of alone time that results in a son. This was originally intended to be the end of the trilogy.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides

With Will Turner employed and Elizabeth Swann busy, it is time for Jack Sparrow to take center stage. Captain Sparrow is on a quest for the fountain of eternal youth under the orders of King George II, which he refuses but is forced to do it anyway by the fearsome pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane). King Ferdinand of Spain is also after the fountain, so it’s a race to see who gets there first.

Added into the pirate gang is Angelica (Penelope Cruz), who knows voodoo and has a magic sword — she’s also an ex of Jack Sparrow and daughter of Blackbeard. They have issues.

Just finding the special fountain isn’t enough. To gain extra life there is a special ceremony using magical cups (which the Spanish navy have) and an incredibly rare ingredient, some mermaid tears. Only these mermaids are incredibly dangerous. So it’s like trying to get tears from an angry shark that doesn’t like you and is on fire.

There is a lot of fighting and double crossing between Jack Sparrow, Angelica, Blackbeard and Barbossa when they do eventually find the fountain. It’s amazing they get anything done really.

In the end Jack Sparrow and Angelica admit their love for each other only Captain Jack doesn’t fully trust Angelica and so strands her on a desert island and sails off. Which would be fine if a voodoo doll of Jack didn’t happen to wash up on the island after the end credits.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) pirate hunter who is back from the dead and out for revenge, especially on Jack Sparrow. A new set of star-crossed lovers appear, this time astronomer Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario) and young sailor Henry (Brenton Thwaites) who has no surname and we should definitely not read anything into that *cough* TURNER.

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