ThePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise has always had a loose association with history, but these five real-life pirates would be perfect additions toPirates of the Caribbean6. Many of the maincharacters ofPirates of the Caribbeanwere inspired by historical figures; Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), for instance, draws upon several real-life pirates, like “Calico” Jack Rackham and Samuel Bellamy.POTChas even included characters who were directly based on actual pirates, such as Edward “Blackbeard” Teach (Ian McShane) inOn Stranger Tides. Even after five movies, however,POTCstill has real pirates it could incorporate.
With the upcoming filmPirates of the Caribbean 6, which is set to star Margot Robbie,POTChas a chance to include some new figures from the history of piracy.POTCtakes 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 inPOTC 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 theirPOTCdebuts.
5Anne Bonny
Bonny Is Arguably The Most Famous Female Pirate In History
While Elizabeth Turner (Keira Knightley) was partially based on Anne Bonny,POTCstill 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 theWilliamfor about a year before being captured and hanged to death by the governor of Jamaica (viaWorld History). WhilePOTCalready has several swashbuckling women in its cast, a proper Anne Bonny would be a great way to continue the franchise.
4John “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 intoPOTC. As previously mentioned, Calico Jack was one of many sources of inspiration for Jack Sparrow. However,POTCcould 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 showBlack Sailshas already proven that Calico Jack’s story is full of adventure and excitement, which would make him perfect forPOTC 6. IfPOTCplays its cards right, Calico Jack could even be a worthy replacement for Will Turner (Orlando Bloom).
3Izzy Hands
Izzy Hands Was Blackbeard’s First Mate & Eventual Captain Of The Adventure
POTChas 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, theAdventure. BothBlack SailsandOur Flag Means Deathhave already explored thetrue story of Izzy Hands, butPOTCcould still add to the historical figure’s modern legacy. Additionally, Izzy was a villain inBlack Sailsand in real life, and he could easily fill the same role inPOTC 6.
2Stede Bonnet
Bonnet Was Better Known As “The Gentleman Pirate” After Giving Up His Life Of Nobility
Stede Bonnet has technically been mentioned inDead 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(viaSmithsonian Mag). Bonnet’s story has also already been adapted inOur Flag Means Death, which proved that he can be just as funny as he is exciting, an important combination forPOTC. It would, at the very least, be interesting to see Bonnet interact with and learn from hardened pirates, andPOTCcould do pretty much anything with such a character.
1Black Caesar
Black Caesar Was A Stand-In For African Pirates Across Decades
The last real-world pirate who would be perfect forPOTC 6isn’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(viaPBS). 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 6has 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.
WhetherPOTC 6actually 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, andPOTC6could 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 thatPirates of the Caribbeanincludes at least one new historical pirate.
