The original Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl had some serious script issues.
The "dual male leads plus single female lead" setup wasn't the problem. The real snag was that Johnny Depp's character stood out way too much—not because of his acting, but because of how the character was built.
It left the supporting male lead and the female lead feeling flat, turning the whole movie into "Captain Jack's one-man show."
That's why the entire Pirates series had to revolve tightly around "Captain Jack," making it impossible to fully flesh out the world's framework.
That's the biggest difference between the Pirates series and the Star Wars series.
Star Wars is set against a grand space opera backdrop, following a group of Jedi across cosmic planets. Anyone can be swapped out, and the story still has room to grow with endless imagination.
Pirates, though? It's a fantasy pirate tale, but the "Caribbean" title boxes it into that one region. Worse, the films zero in on "Captain Jack's" personal legend, which is a much bigger headache.
If Johnny Depp flops, the whole Pirates series goes down with him. In the original timeline, Pirates 5's box office crash proved it—once Johnny Depp's star faded, the series was toast.
Now, Dunn's revamped the original Pirates of the Caribbean into the Pirates' League series. No way was he letting Disney's old tragedy play out again.
On the acting front, Dunn put strict limits on Johnny Depp.
Great acting's a plus, but he couldn't overshadow everyone else—balance was key. Pirates' League: The Curse of the Black Pearl was a commercial flick, not an awards-bait vehicle for one star. That's a fundamental difference.
To play it safe, Dunn tapped big-name director Tim Burton to take the helm. With his knack for control and clout, he could keep Johnny Depp in check.
The original director, Gore Verbinski? A nobody newbie. Could a guy like that rein in Johnny Depp's quirky personality? Doubtful.
Tim Burton, though? No issue there.
On top of that, Dunn overhauled the script's framework big time.
While keeping "Captain Jack's" adventurous spirit and leadership front and center, he beefed up the supporting male lead, "Will Turner," making him a standout and a linchpin of the story!
In the new plot, the undead skeleton Captain Barbossa ramp=AF runs wild with the Black Pearl, pillaging and plundering across the Caribbean.
Captain Jack wants his ship back, but to do it, he needs the legendary treasure—"The Dirge of the Darkest Sea"!
Only this fabled pirate-world relic can take down Barbossa, the embodiment of evil.
They clash in a small town near Port Royal.
Barbossa snatches Elizabeth Swann, the governor's daughter. Will Turner, her childhood sweetheart and a blacksmith's apprentice, is devastated seeing his beloved kidnapped by pirates. Armed with some family sword skills, he sets off to save her.
By chance, Captain Jack and Will cross paths here. After a skirmish, Barbossa gets schooled by Will's swordplay. They don't find "The Dirge of the Darkest Sea," but Jack's blown away by Will's skills. He decides to team up, sail out, rescue Elizabeth, and reclaim the Black Pearl!
Together, they pull off the rescue, but a bigger challenge looms—Barbossa's evil-possessed ship is nearly invincible.
In a do-or-die moment, Will recalls his dying father's words. His family heirloom, the "Sword of Evil's Bane," flashes gold, lighting up the dark Caribbean!
That's when Jack realizes the legendary "Dirge of the Darkest Sea" is actually Will's "Sword of Evil's Bane."
Though outnumbered, with the sword's help, the trio defeats Barbossa, reclaims the Black Pearl, and restores peace to the Caribbean.
But Barbossa isn't dead. He glares at the trio sailing off in the Black Pearl, his eyes burning with vengeance, already hunting for a stronger dark spirit…
"So, where to next?"
On the Black Pearl's deck, Captain Jack, Will Turner, and Elizabeth Swann lounge under the Caribbean sun.
Will speaks slowly, "I finally get what my father meant before he died. I'm a descendant of William Turner, the greatest adventurer from two hundred years ago. I'm gonna carry on the Turner legacy!"
Elizabeth, who's been crushing on Will forever, beams at his newfound purpose. "Awesome! I was worried you'd be stuck as a blacksmith forever!"
Will sums up his whole character in one line: "Justice is my mission!"
Elizabeth's eyes sparkle with admiration and excitement. "I'm coming too!"
"No way, it's too dangerous!"
"What's there to fear? We've got Jack with us."
"Me?" Captain Jack strikes an orchid-finger pose, his voice all theatrical. "I just want a life of freedom. Huh? What's that?"
Suddenly, a black storm cloud—visible to the naked eye—rises on the distant shoreline.
Jack's face shifts, and he mutters, "One wave calms, another rises…"
The film fades out.
The camera pulls back, ending with a wide shot of the vast Caribbean.
…
It was everyone's first taste of an IMAX movie, and the giant screen's impact had the whole crowd hooked.
Pirates' League: The Curse of the Black Pearl is an action-adventure flick laced with today's hottest fantasy vibes. With top-tier effects, it's a visual stunner.
The insane visuals make you feel like you're right there—an adventure way more gripping than anything in a regular theater.
Especially when Barbossa's evil form emerges, towering hundreds of feet as a shadowy spirit over the Caribbean, oozing dread—it's bone-chilling.
Then, at the brink, Will grasps his father's last words, unsheathes the "Sword of Evil's Bane," and its blazing light cuts through—a heart-pounding, justice-fueled rush.
When it ended, the guests leapt up, clapping like crazy.
A salute to the first-ever IMAX blockbuster!
Dunn stood too, shaking hands with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ang Lee, Roland Emmerich, and others nearby.
Roland Emmerich, buzzing with excitement, said, "Dunn, no matter what, The Day After Tomorrow has to go IMAX! I don't know if giant screens are the future of all movies, but for effects-heavy blockbusters? Definitely!"
Dunn grinned. "You bet. Every Dunn Pictures commercial hit from now on will get the IMAX treatment."
IMAX was his baby—he'd push it every chance he got.
Sure, digital IMAX projectors weren't a thing yet, and converting to IMAX film prints was pricey, but it was worth the upfront cost.
Spielberg chimed in, "If they can crack the copy cost issue, IMAX movies have a bright future."
Dunn nodded. "As long as theaters see the vision and build more IMAX screens, mass production can spread the cost. Even film prints could turn a profit. With 500 IMAX theaters in the U.S., we could get IMAX film copy costs under $20,000. And as tech improves, it'll keep dropping."
Spielberg agreed. "Twenty grand a copy? With IMAX's premium ticket prices, that's a no-brainer."
George Lucas, who'd been quiet, cracked a smile. "It's all about how this one sells. Heh, if IMAX theaters are packed and the word-of-mouth's stellar, theater chains won't need us pushing—they'll be scrambling to expand and retrofit for IMAX themselves."
Dunn shot him a look. "What, you don't think this one's good?"
"Good? It's damn good!" Lucas praised, then his expression turned sly. "But why do I feel like… the story's got some Star Wars vibes? That 'Sword of Evil's Bane'—isn't it just a Jedi lightsaber?"
Dunn laughed it off. "George, you're a riot! There's only one 'Sword of Evil's Bane.' Jedi have tons of lightsabers—totally different setup."
Lucas wasn't buying it. "One sword, sure, but you could easily stretch it—'Knife of Evil's Bane,' 'Spear of Evil's Bane,' 'Dagger of Evil's Bane.' Build a whole crew, just like the Jedi."
Dunn smirked. "George, you're not doing this on purpose, are you?"
"Huh?"
"Not still sore that Spider-Man 2 smoked Star Wars: Episode II at the box office, right?"
Lucas huffed. "This isn't about ticket sales!"
Dunn just chuckled, brushing it off.
…
July 1st: Pirates' League: The Curse of the Black Pearl premiered in LA—a huge, star-studded blowout.
That day, pretty much all of America's entertainment spotlight was on this game-changing IMAX flick.
Also that day, France's famous Le Nouvel Observateur magazine dropped a big pick: the 2001-2002 Most Influential Person award went to Vivendi CEO Jean Messier!
A major nod for Messier!
Looked like he was dead-set on playing the national pride card to lock in his spot.
But would the shareholders just sit back and let him pull these off-field moves?
Time for some fireworks!