Pirates of the Caribbean 3 deleted scene exposes a hidden war crime in the franchise.

Pirates of the Caribbean, a film stemmed from a Disney’s theme park attraction, has become one of the biggest media franchises for the studio, expanding into five films with numerous beloved characters, including Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow. The character, depicted as a rogue pirate, who is a little drunk all the time, became a fan-favorite for his charismatic and adventurous personality.

A still from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series | Credit: Disney
While he is not usually represented as a hero, as he lacks plenty of conventional heroic traits, the filmmakers did try to develop the character closely in a heroic light in the third installment of the franchise, At World’s End, which remained unseen due to a deleted cut.

Johnny Depp’s Deleted Scene in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

Directed by Gore Verbinski, the third installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, At World’s End featured a scene between Johnny Depp and Tom Hollander, who portrayed the role of Cutler Beckett, a powerful chairman of the East India Company.
Jack Sparrow and Cutler Beckett | Credit: Captain Teague/Pirates of the Caribbean Wiki

Introduced in the second installment of the franchise, the character had an unspoken history with Jack Sparrow and the deleted scene between the two confirmed this implication. The deleted scene features Beckett confronting Sparrow about not abiding by the terms of their deal.

He reminds Captain Jack Sparrow that as per their deal, he was to deliver the cargo for him, but he chose to liberate it. As he continues looking for the heart of Davy Jones, he replies to Cutler Buckett, “People aren’t cargo mate,” alluding to Sparrow’s anti-slavery stance.

Pirates of the Caribbean franchise: At World’s End | Credit: Disney
The scene adds a layer of moral complexity to the character, as he takes a stand against the horrific practice, often overlooked in the fantastical world. It continues as Beckett offers a deal to Sparrow to lead him to the Brethren Court in exchange for his freedom.

Jack Sparrow is suspicious but intrigued, and their conversation ends with a potential deal on the horizon. The scene, however, did not make it to the final cut. While the exact reason why the scene was removed is unclear, it has surely added to fans’ love for the iconic character.

Jerry Bruckheimer Addressed Pirates of the Caribbean’s Future

The fifth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise came out in 2017. While there were plans for a sixth installment along with a spin-off with Margot Robbie, no such projects have come to fruition. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer recently addressed the future of the franchise.
A still from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise | Credit: Disney
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he shared his hopes to move ahead with a potential reboot and the spin-off film. “It’s two different movies,” he said, revealing that the first film would be a reboot and the second would be Robbie’s spin-off which is penned by Christina Hodson.

“We hope to get ’em both made,” he said. Bruckheimer also addressed Depp’s potential return to the franchise, saying, “It’s a reboot, but if it was up to me, he would be in it.” Depp lost the role of Jack Sparrow amid his public divorce from ex-wife Amber Heard. While fans anticipate his return to the franchise, Depp’s return as Jack Sparrow remains uncertain.