Yo Ho, Yo Ho: Trivia from the Making of Pirates of the Caribbean

Before 2003, the “pirate movie” genre was considered dead in the water in Hollywood, largely due to the massive failure of Cutthroat Island in the 1990s. When Disney announced they were making a film based on a theme park ride, expectations were low. However, The Curse of the Black Pearl became a cultural phenomenon that spawned a massive franchise. Here are the fascinating secrets behind the making of the films.

The Captain Jack Controversy

It is impossible to imagine the franchise without Johnny Depp, but his now-iconic portrayal was initially met with horror by Disney executives.

• The Inspiration: Johnny Depp famously modeled his character on a combination of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and the cartoon skunk Pepe Le Pew. Depp envisioned pirates as the “rock stars of the 18th century.”
• Panic at Disney: Michael Eisner, the CEO of Disney at the time, famously hated Depp’s performance during the dailies. He reportedly exclaimed, “He’s ruining the film!” and asked if the character was supposed to be drunk or gay. Depp coolly replied, “Didn’t you know all my characters are gay?” and refused to change his performance.
• The Teeth: Depp went to his dentist to have gold teeth implanted for the role. He actually had too many put in initially, and the producers asked him to remove a few to soften the look.

Casting “What Ifs”

The cast we know and love wasn’t always the first choice for the production team.

• Hugh Jackman: Screenwriter Stuart Beattie originally wrote the part of Jack Sparrow with Hugh Jackman in mind (hence the first name “Jack”). However, Disney didn’t think Jackman was a big enough star at the time.
• Robert De Niro: The role of Captain Jack was offered to Robert De Niro, who turned it down because he believed the movie would be a box office flop, much like previous pirate films. He later regretted the decision after seeing the film’s massive success.
• Keira Knightley’s Insecurity: Keira Knightley was only 17 when she was cast as Elizabeth Swann. She was so convinced she was going to be fired during the first week of production that she only packed a small bag for the shoot, expecting to be sent home.
• Tom Hiddleston: Before he was Loki, Tom Hiddleston auditioned for the role of Will Turner, which eventually went to Orlando Bloom (fresh off his success as Legolas in Lord of the Rings).

From the Park to the Big Screen

The filmmakers paid homage to the original Disneyland attraction in several subtle ways throughout the franchise.

• The Dog with the Keys: The famous scene of the prison dog holding the keys while pirates try to coax him over is a direct recreation of a vignette from the ride.
• “Dead Men Tell No Tales”: This line, spoken by the ghostly voice in the ride’s cavern sequence, became the subtitle for the fifth film in the franchise.
• The Skeletal Helmsman: In The Curse of the Black Pearl, there is a shot of a skeleton steering the ship during the storm sequence which mirrors a specific animatronic from the attraction.

Production Challenges and Secrets

Filming on the open ocean is notoriously difficult, leading to a variety of logistical nightmares and clever solutions.

• Hidden Tattoos: During filming, the makeup team had to constantly cover up Johnny Depp’s real tattoos with charcoal. Ironically, after the movie wrapped, Depp got a real tattoo of a sparrow flying over the sunset (just like his character’s) to honor his son, Jack.
• Seasickness: Despite playing a rugged pirate, Keira Knightley suffered from seasickness during the production.
• The Contact Lenses: To make the cursed crew look more intimidating in the first film, the actors wore contact lenses that acted as sunglasses so they wouldn’t squint in the bright Caribbean sun. This helped maintain their “undead” stare.
• Improvised Lines: The famous closing line of the first movie, “Bring me that horizon,” was ad-libbed by Johnny Depp on the day of filming.

The Music of the High Seas

• A Last-Minute Save: The iconic score is often attributed to Hans Zimmer, but he was initially contractually unable to score the first film. He wrote the main themes in a single night and handed the project over to Klaus Badelt to finish. Zimmer officially took over as the primary composer for the sequels.

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