You cannot discuss the Pirates 2005 trailer without discussing the audio. Trailers in 2005 were dominated by two things: the “Inception horn” (before Inception existed) and choral vocals. The Dead Man’s Chest trailer used a custom hybrid of Zimmer’s score with a driving percussive heartbeat.
Specifically, the trailer highlighted the track “Jack Sparrow” but with a darker orchestral sting every time the Kraken appeared. This audio juxtaposition told the audience: This is still fun, but people are going to die.
In 2005, streaming wasn't native. To see the Pirates 2005 trailer, you either went to a multiplex or downloaded a 60MB QuickTime file over DSL. Yet, within 48 hours of its release, it had broken download records.
While the Kraken was the threat, Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) was the character. The Pirates 2005 trailer was the first time the public saw ILM’s revolutionary motion-capture CGI.
The most crucial element of the Pirates 2005 trailer was the reveal of the antagonist. In the first film, the villains were undead skeletons. Here, the villain is a sea monster.
"In the summer of 2003, Disney defied expectations by turning a theme park ride into a billion-dollar franchise with *Pirates of the Caribbean Pirates 2005 Trailer
[OPEN: BLACK SCREEN]
DEEP, RUMBLING DRUMBEAT begins. A single line of text fades in:
FROM THE STUDIO THAT BROUGHT YOU “THE MUMMY”
[CUT TO: WIDE SHOT – A Spanish galleon burns on a turquoise sea at dawn. Flaming debris hits the water.]
NARRATOR (GRAVELLY, POST-“GLADIATOR” VOICE): “In a lawless age... one man would defy an empire.” You cannot discuss the Pirates 2005 trailer without
[CUT TO: CLOSE UP – CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW (Johnny Depp, kohl-eyed, grinning) steps off a sinking rowboat onto a dock. Perfectly dry.]
JACK SPARROW (V.O.): “Stop me if you’ve heard this one. A pirate, a governor’s daughter, and a very cranksome blacksmith walk into a tavern…”
[QUICK CUTS – ACTION BEATS:
MUSIC KICKS IN: A GUITAR RIFF mixed with ORCHESTRAL STABS. (Think Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Bourne Supremacy).
NARRATOR: “He’s not looking for treasure.” [OPEN: BLACK SCREEN] DEEP, RUMBLING DRUMBEAT begins
[CUT TO: Jack standing at the helm of a stolen Interceptor, compass in hand, eyes wild.]
JACK: “I’m looking for a second chance. And possibly a really big explosion.”
[MONTAGE – FAST & LOUD:
TITLE CARD SLAMS ON SCREEN – METALLIC, BLOOD-RED:
If you are a historian or a fan looking to revisit the exact moment the franchise exploded, search for:
Be warned: There are multiple versions. The Teaser (released summer 2005) focuses entirely on the cannibal sequence. The Theatrical (fall 2005) includes the Kraken and Davy Jones’s organ. The latter is the definitive Pirates 2005 trailer.
Unlike the first film’s trailer, which started with Elizabeth Swan singing, the 2005 trailer opens with chaos. We see Jack Sparrow running. Not on a ship, but on jungle terrain—specifically, the infamous cannibal isle of Pelegosto.
