The Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy Marathon!!

With everything going on—and with this being the weekend of Juneteenth—the days have been feeling especially intense. But the recent protests brought something back to us potatoes that we haven’t felt in a while… hope.

Of course, we know the pushback will come. It always does. But for now, we’re holding onto that flicker of light and encouraging everyone to rest, recharge, and take joy where they can!

So, if you don’t already have plans this weekend, we’ve got a little something for you! We’re setting sail for the high seas with a Pirates of the Caribbean movie marathon! (The first three only…we really wish they had left it there.) The original trilogy delivers action, betrayal, sea curses, undead monkeys, and so much eyeliner! And somehow…it still holds up! The adventure, the score, the chaotic characters—it’s all just as thrilling now as it was when we first saw Jack Sparrow stumble off that sinking ship.

This trilogy may be based on a theme park ride, but don’t let that fool you. It’s a sprawling tale of cursed treasure, cursed hearts, and cursed loyalties, packed with wit, sword fights, and some surprisingly sharp commentary on power and piracy. Not every entry hits the same, but these first three films together? Still a treasure!

⚓ Here’s the itinerary for our Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Marathon:
• The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
• Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
• At World’s End (2007)

There will be a few light spoilers ahead, so beware, ye who sail further.

Savvy? Let’s dive in!

We kick things off with The Curse of the Black Pearl, and what an introduction it is. The pacing is tight, the story is sharp, and the cast is firing on all cylinders. Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow is an instant icon, weaving between brilliance and buffoonery with every wobbling step. Orlando Bloom’s earnest blacksmith Will Turner and Keira Knightley’s whip-smart Elizabeth Swann give the film its emotional grounding. And Geoffrey Rush’s Barbossa? Chewing scenery like it’s the last apple on earth. Cursed pirates, gold-soaked skeletons, and a monkey that never dies? It’s pure, frenzied joy!

And the music! Hans Zimmer’s now-legendary score lifts every scene and keeps our hearts pounding as the cannons fire.

Then comes Dead Man’s Chest, and if the first movie was tight and swashbuckling, this one is full-on unhinged. Jack’s got a debt to pay to Davy Jones (Bill Nighy, tentacled and tragic), Elizabeth’s breaking all the rules, Will’s in way over his head, and the Kraken is here to eat everyone’s ship. It’s darker, messier, and a little more bloated—but the stakes are high, the visuals are stunning, and the humor is still razor-sharp!

And finally, At World’s End. Is it convoluted? Yes. Is it visually overwhelming at times? Also yes. But is it a satisfying, chaotic, melodramatic conclusion? Absolutely. Jack’s lost in Davy Jones’ Locker (and having full-blown conversations with himself), the pirate lords are gathering, and alliances shift faster than you can say “parlay.” There’s tragedy, there’s triumph, and so so much chaos! It’s big, it’s messy, but it still hits with emotional weight and epic payoff. Plus, Elizabeth gets her pirate king moment and we potatoes are here for it!

Look, not everything in this series has aged perfectly. The colonial backdrop gets dicey, and the treatment of certain characters could’ve been handled with more care. The cannibals…leave a lot to be desired, and are truly cringe-worthy. But the heart of this trilogy—the tangled mess of freedom vs. duty, love vs. sacrifice, and chaos vs. control—still speaks to something real. These are stories about outcasts, rebels, and romantics, trying to steer their own course in a world that keeps trying to trap them.

And can we talk about Elizabeth Swann for a second? She starts off as a governor’s daughter and ends up a sword-wielding, ship-commanding pirate king. Her arc is underrated and iconic, and we love how she refuses to be boxed into anyone’s expectations—not her father’s, not society’s, not even Will’s. She carves her own path, and we potatoes salute that.

The exhaustion is real, and we potatoes needed to keep things simpler this time around so we got some pizza. Not exactly on theme, but we had no energy for intensive cooking this weekend. We think that we could all use a bit of a breather considering…well, everything! We also made an awesome drinking game full of pirate-y chaos and was a really fun addition to the day! Honestly, these films and the game, are perfect for group viewings!

We potatoes love these movies! So whether you’re here for the ghost ships, the sea monsters, the deeply repressed love stories, or just the chance to yell “why is the rum gone?”—this marathon is a high-seas adventure worth taking!

May the wind be at your back, the rum be plentiful, and the Kraken stay in its lane!

Tell us your thoughts! Are you a Jack Sparrow devotee or a Barbossa stan? Did you cry over Will and Elizabeth’s ending, or did it make you want to flip the ship? Which pirate lord would you be? What’s your favorite line, moment, or ridiculous plot twist? Drop it all in the comments below—we want to hear it!

So! Cheers to Jack, for being a hot mess with a heart of gold (buried somewhere). Cheers to Will, for following his heart, even when it led straight to a curse. Cheers to Elizabeth, Pirate Queen of our hearts. And most importantly… cheers to you! For being here. For surviving these days with us in our own cursed seas. We see you, we raise our glasses to you, and we hope you keep sailing, no matter the storm!

Now bring me that horizon!

The Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy Drinking Game!

Take a sip anytime:

1.     Jack Sparrow makes an entrance

2.     Jack Sparrow gets up to shenanigans or lies

3.     Jack Sparrow is clever

4.     Jack Sparrow runs funny

5.     Barbosa eats anything

6.     Barbosa rolls his eyes

7.     Barbosa laughs

8.     Pintel and Regetti bicker

9.     Black Pearl on screen or anyone says "Black Pearl" (including just "the pearl")

10.  Anyone swims

11.  Swashbuckling fight scenes on screen

12.  You see loot or looting on screen

13.  Gold is mentioned

14.  There's cannon fire on screen

15.  Any captain barks orders at their crew

16.  There's a bar fight

17.  Anyone sings

18.  Anyone drinks! Drink with them!

19.  Anyone says "pirate" or "pirates"

20.  Anyone says Jack, Sparrow, or Captain

21.  Anyone says "captain"

22.  Anyone says "Turner"

23.  Anyone says "Swann"

24.  Anyone says Davy Jones, Jones, or any variation

25.  Anyone mentions the “pirates code” (or “the code”)