The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has always had a loose ᴀssociation with history, but these five real-life pirates would be perfect additions to Pirates of the Caribbean 6. Many of the main characters of Pirates of the Caribbean were inspired by historical figures; Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), for instance, draws upon several real-life pirates, like “Calico” Jack Rackham and Samuel Bellamy. POTC has even included characters who were directly based on actual pirates, such as Edward “Blackbeard” Teach (Ian McShane) in On Stranger Tides. Even after five movies, however, POTC still has real pirates it could incorporate.
With the upcoming film Pirates of the Caribbean 6, which is set to star Margot Robbie, POTC has a chance to include some new figures from the history of piracy. POTC takes place, roughly speaking, during the “Golden Age of Piracy” in the early 18th century. That means that many of the legendary pirates who were active in the early 1700s could easily appear in POTC 6, especially considering how little we know about the long-awaited sequel. With that in mind, I would love to see these five legends of the high seas make their POTC debuts.
5
Anne Bonny
Bonny Is Arguably The Most Famous Female Pirate In History
While Elizabeth Turner (Keira Knightley) was partially based on Anne Bonny, POTC still hasn’t actually included the famous female pirate yet. Anne Bonny was part of a trio of legendary pirates that included Calico Jack Rackham and Mary Read, who famously dressed as a man for the majority of her career in piracy. The three sailed aboard a sloop known as the William for about a year before being captured and hanged to death by the governor of Jamaica (via World History). While POTC already has several swashbuckling women in its cast, a proper Anne Bonny would be a great way to continue the franchise.
4
John “Calico Jack” Rackham
Calico Jack Sailed With Charles Vane, Anne Bonny, & Mary Read
John “Calico Jack” Rackham, like his real-life seafaring partner Anne Bonny, has already been somewhat incorporated into POTC. As previously mentioned, Calico Jack was one of many sources of inspiration for Jack Sparrow. However, POTC could explore Calico Jack’s time as a quartermaster for another legendary pirate, Charles Vane, or it could focus more on his exploits with Bonny and Mary Read. The TV show Black Sails has already proven that Calico Jack’s story is full of adventure and excitement, which would make him perfect for POTC 6. If POTC plays its cards right, Calico Jack could even be a worthy replacement for Will Turner (Orlando Bloom).
3
Izzy Hands
Izzy Hands Was Blackbeard’s First Mate & Eventual Captain Of The Adventure
POTC has already included Blackbeard, but it has yet to include his right-hand man and first mate, Israel “Izzy” Hands. Izzy Hands was Blackbeard’s loyal first mate for years, and he was eventually entrusted as the captain of one of Blackbeard’s ships, the Adventure. Both Black Sails and Our Flag Means Death have already explored the true story of Izzy Hands, but POTC could still add to the historical figure’s modern legacy. Additionally, Izzy was a villain in Black Sails and in real life, and he could easily fill the same role in POTC 6.
2
Stede Bonnet
Bonnet Was Better Known As “The Gentleman Pirate” After Giving Up His Life Of Nobility
Stede Bonnet has technically been mentioned in ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales, but he’s never been properly introduced. Stede Bonnet was known as “The Gentleman Pirate” because he gave up a life of nobility in favor of plundering the high seas (via Smithsonian Mag). Bonnet’s story has also already been adapted in Our Flag Means Death, which proved that he can be just as funny as he is exciting, an important combination for POTC. It would, at the very least, be interesting to see Bonnet interact with and learn from hardened pirates, and POTC could do pretty much anything with such a character.
1
Black Caesar
Black Caesar Was A Stand-In For African Pirates Across Decades
The last real-world pirate who would be perfect for POTC 6 isn’t actually a single person. Black Caesar was an even more legendary figure than other pirates at the time, as he was a combination of several different African pirates all referred to by the same name (via PBS). There are plenty of conflicting stories about Black Caesar, from him being hanged after Blackbeard’s death to him becoming a wealthy and feared pirate on his own. POTC 6 has an opportunity, through Black Caesar, to tell any kind of story it wants while also shining a light on an often overlooked group of historical pirates.
Whether POTC 6 actually includes any of these historical pirates is still up in the air, but I think the franchise certainly couldn’t go wrong with any of them. Most of history – and especially the history of piracy – is already stranger than fiction and ripe for an adaptation. This article barely scratches the surface of many of these figures, and POTC 6 could easily flesh them out into some of the best characters in the entire franchise. There’s more than enough material to work with, so I hope that Pirates of the Caribbean includes at least one new historical pirate.
Pirates of the Caribbean
- Movie(s)
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Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man’s Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Pirates of the Caribbean: ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales
- Created by
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Gore Verbinski, Jerry Bruckheimer
- First Film
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Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
- Latest Film
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Pirates of the Caribbean: ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Men Tell No Tales
- Cast
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Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush, Sam Claflin, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario
Summary
A series of fantasy swashbuckler films produced by Disney, featuring the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow. Known for its supernatural elements, high-seas action, and iconic characters, the franchise has become a cultural phenomenon and was loosely based on the Disney theme park ride of the same name.
