Yes, We Need a New Jack Sparrow Movie, but Not the Way You’re Thinking
One of the biggest questions that the Walt Disney Company faces in the near future is what direction to take the next iteration of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise; given that there have been some hurdles within the development of the new Marvel Cinematic Universe films and the next era of the Star Wars saga on the big screen, it’s unlikely that they would give up their other most successful live-action franchise. Although the series needs the involvement of the character of Jack Sparrow to differentiate it from any other pirate movie, the Pirates of the Caribbean series needs to find a way to move past Johnny Depp. Beyond the fact that Depp’s public controversies have made him a difficult hire, his performances in the last two installments in the Pirates of the Caribbean series were so lazy that it would be creatively irresponsible to ask him to reprise his role once more.
While the notion of recasting the character is bound to get some fans agitated, Pirates of the Caribbean could have new life if it told a prequel story about the adventures of a young Jack Sparrow. The blueprint for what this iteration of the series could look like has already been laid out in the young adult Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow series, which consisted of thirteen novels that explored Jack’s teenage years before he became a known pirate captain. Instead of making a Pirates of the Caribbean sequel, which would have to double down on all the ridiculous plot twists that occurred within the two most recent installments, a prequel series could be told from a fresh perspective and introduce a new audience to what the franchise is capable of.
What Are the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow’ Books About?
The main issue that both Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales faced is that they tried to position Jack as the main character, even though he worked best as an idiosyncratic, quirky mentor who could introduce a hero like Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) to the world of piracy. However, the Jack Sparrow series presented Jack as a younger and more vulnerable character who had not yet developed the ruthless behavior that he would earn after years at the high seas. While Jack becomes a more selfish, jaded pirate by the time that he first appears in the original trilogy directed by Gore Verbinski, the Jack Sparrow series shows that he was first interested in piracy for the adventure and excitement that it would bring and did not have any greedy intentions. In the same way that Casino Royale offered an explanation of how Daniel Craig’s James Bond became the 007 that the franchise was known for, a Pirates of the Caribbean prequel could explore how Jack dealt with all the betrayals and double-crosses that come with a hunt for treasure.
A Pirates of the Caribbean prequel series has the opportunity to introduce a new audience to the character, as it would essentially be starting from scratch and telling a coming-of-age story. Although this might help appeal to viewers that didn’t necessarily grow up with the series, the Jack Sparrow books contain more than a few clever Easter eggs that could intrigue older fans; in addition to early appearances by “Bootstrap Bill” Turner and Davy Jones, the books hint at the origin of the Spanish treasure that becomes the primary MacGuffin within the first film, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl.
‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Can Go Back to Its Roots With a Prequel
Although all of the Pirates of the Caribbean films have some degree of fantasy, the series began to grow increasingly ridiculous with each installment; cursed gold might be one thing, but by the time that the franchise began introducing killer mermaids and a trident that had control of the sea, it definitely felt like it had jumped the shark. The Jack Sparrow books offer a slightly more grounded look at piracy that deals more with the feuds between different ships, with only the occasional inclusion of supernatural elements. This would allow the series to do what all great pirate movies do best; the search for the treasure is usually far more interesting than what the treasure actually ends up being. The novels did a great job of outlining what each member of the crew did on the ship and how that factors into a larger mission; given how great the practical sets were on the previous Pirates of the Caribbean films, it would be exciting to see this storyline developed with more depth.
Jack is a great character that does not belong to just one actor, and just like James Bond, Batman, Spider-Man, or King Arthur, he may benefit from being taken in an entirely different direction. The version of Jack that is presented in the prequel series is a young stowaway who used his wits to survive amidst a dangerous historical period. While the core films depict Jack as having already earned his reputation of being a notorious pirate, it would be even more fascinating to see which of his actions turned him into a legend. However, the inclusion of other characters from the novels, such as Jack’s love interest Arabella Smith, could allow the audience to become invested in characters whose fates are not already set in stone.
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The pirate genre has been dramatically underserved, as the muted reactions to films like The Pirates! Band of Misfits and Pan suggested that audiences weren’t being served the best iteration of what is truly a fascinating point in history. The era of piracy raised interesting questions about the difference between criminality and heroism and featured many larger-than-life figures who blurred the line between hero and villain. Although Jack is a great narrator to explore this world, it’s time to pass the reins of the series to a younger star who has the energy to give it a comeback.
