Gore Verbinski on Disney’s PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN Future and Why Original Stories Matter More
Disney may be steering the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise toward its next chapter, but the filmmaker who helped turn it into a blockbuster phenomenon has zero interest in climbing back aboard.
Original trilogy director Gore Verbinski recently opened up about the reboot plans, and is more interested with moving on and chasing new story ideas.
The Pirates of the Caribbean saga kicked off in 2003 with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, a movie that had no business working as well as it did. Disney took a gamble by handing the keys to Verbinski, fresh off the success of The Ring, and the result was lightning in a bottle.
Verbinski went on to direct the full original trilogy, including Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, shaping a wild, character-driven ride that was risky, a little strange, and epic. After that, the franchise kept going, but Verbinski stepped away.
While promoting his new film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, Verbinski spoke candidly with ScreenRant about Disney continuing Pirates without him. He made it clear that returning isn’t on his radar, and his reasoning cuts straight to the heart of why so many filmmakers struggle with long-running franchises.
“I wish them the best. I just don’t have anything. I feel like I did three and, for me, it was a great opportunity to learn and to try something,” Verbinski said.
“I think we have to be at a place where the wheels are about to fall off. I think once you kind of know how to do something, it becomes less interesting or less dangerous. There’s just so little time, and there are so many stories to tell.”
That says a lot about where Verbinski is coming from creatively. He isn’t interested in repeating a formula once it feels safe. He wants uncertainty, risk, and the feeling of taking a chance on something that might not work. That hunger for danger is what powered the early Pirates films, and it’s also why he’d rather chase new stories than revive old ones.
Verbinski’s career path since leaving Pirates hasn’t exactly followed the franchise-heavy Hollywood playbook. He scored a major win with the animated western Rango in 2011, but after The Lone Ranger stumbled in 2013, his output slowed significantly.
Aside from the ambitious and often overlooked A Cure for Wellness in 2017, Verbinski has largely stayed out of the spotlight. His latest film marks only his fourth directing effort since 2007.
Meanwhile, Disney isn’t dropping anchor on Pirates of the Caribbean anytime soon. Development continues on the next installment, and there’s renewed optimism among fans that Johnny Depp could return as Captain Jack Sparrow.
Disney cut ties with Depp in 2016 following domestic abuse allegations made by Amber Heard, but after Depp won his defamation case in 2022, the door slowly cracked back open.
Depp is officially back in the studio system, starring in Marc Webb’s Day Drinker and signing on for Ti West’s Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol. While Disney appears to be cautiously gauging audience response, all signs point to Depp being closer than ever to reclaiming the role that defined a generation of blockbuster moviegoing.
Verbinski, though, is content watching from afar. His comments are a reminder that cinema doesn’t survive on endless reboots and stretched-out sequels. Original stories, risky ideas, and filmmakers willing to jump without a safety net are what keep movies exciting.