Pirates of the Caribbean Forged: Then and Now 2023 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a 2003 American fantasy swashbuckler movie and the primary movie within the Pirates of the Caribbean movie sequence.The story follows pirate Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) as they rescue the kidnapped Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) from the cursed crew of the Black Pearl, captained by Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), who develop into undead skeletons in moonlight.