- "Isla de Muerta" redirects here. For other uses, see Isla Muerta
Isla Muerta may refer to:*Isla de Muerta, a setting from the Pirates of the Caribbean series*Isla Muerta, a fictional island off the coast of Costa Rica in Michael Crichton's The Lost World...
.
This is a complete list of islands and other locations in the Pirates of the Caribbean films series. Some locations in the series of films are real, others are fictional.
Isla de Muerta
Isla de Muerta is an island featured in the 2003 film
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black PearlPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a 2003 adventure film, based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney theme parks...
. It is a mysterious isle where the
Black PearlThe Black Pearl, originally EItC Wicked Wench, is a fictional ship in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. The Black Pearl is easily recognised by her distinctive black hull and sails. This...
's piratePiracy is a war-like act committed by private parties that engaged in acts of robbery and/or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the...
crew hide their looted
treasureTreasure is a concentration of riches, often one which is considered lost or forgotten until being rediscovered...
.
The Curse of the Black Pearl
According to (Captain) Jack Sparrow, Isla de Muerta ("Island of Death", literally translated from Spanish) is an island which
cannot be foundPhantom islands are islands that were believed to exist, and appeared on maps for a period of time during recorded history, but were later removed after they proved nonexistent...
, except by those who already know where it is. To locate it, Captain Sparrow uses his unique compass — rather than pointing north, it points to what its holder wants most. What Sparrow wants is the
Black Pearl, his ship, which is anchored at the island and captained by his first mate, Captain Barbossa.
Shrouded in a mysterious and everlasting fog, the isle is surrounded by a graveyard of sunken ships; its waters swarm with
hammerhead sharkThe hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks in the family Sphyrnidae, so named for the unusual and distinctive structure of their heads, which are flattened and laterally extended into a "hammer" shape called a "cephalofoil". Most hammerhead species are placed in the genus Sphyrna; some authorities...
s and
fish shoalsIn biology, any group of fish that stay together for social reasons are said to be shoaling , and if, in addition, the group is swimming in the same direction in a coordinated manner, they are said to be schooling . In common usage, the terms are sometimes used rather loosely...
.
From the air, the island resembles the face of a human skull. It appears to be largely unexplored, save for a maze of caves where
Captain BarbossaHector Barbossa or "Captain Barbossa" is a fictional character and pirate in the popular Disney film trilogy Pirates of the Caribbean. Barbossa was first introduced in the series as the primary antagonist and pirate captain of the Black Pearl after committing mutiny against the ship's former...
's crew hoard their looted treasure. Here is where the dreaded Chest of Cortez containing the cursed Aztec gold is kept.
Apart from the caves, there seems to be little that is interesting on the island, except the piles of hoarded treasure which the crew of the Black Pearl acquired during their many years of searching for the last cursed coin and the one remaining blood sacrifice.
Dead Man's Chest
In
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's ChestPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a adventure film of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the sequel to the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and the first film from Walt Disney Pictures to feature the current logo...
, it's learned that the island was reclaimed by the sea, taking with it both the cursed Aztec treasure and the uncursed mountains of swag that Barbossa's crew had hoarded while they were cursed. It was this swag that Jack Sparrow had agreed to pay his new crew with, but had to change his plans when it sank with the island. Barbossa himself was only retrieved due to the intervention of
Tia DalmaTia Dalma, played by Naomie Harris, is a fictional character from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and a primary character in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, in which a good amount of the plot revolves around her and her powers.-Character History:Little is...
, who did so and also restored him to life before the events of Dead Man's Chest.
Tortuga
Tortuga is a pirate
islandAn island or isle is any piece of land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls are called islets. A key or cay is another name for a small island or islet. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot, .There are two main types of islands:...
off the northern coast of
Saint-DomingueSaint-Domingue was a French colony on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola from 1659 to 1804, when it became the independent nation of Haiti.Saint-Domingue is the French version of the Spanish name Santo Domingo. The Arawak, Carib and Tainos people occupied the island before the arrival of the...
(
HaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Creole- and French-speaking Caribbean country. Along with the Dominican Republic, it occupies the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago...
), out of the jurisdiction of the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
and the East India Trading Company. While it remains a
free portA free port or free zone is a port or area with relaxed jurisdiction with respect to the country of location. Free economic zones may also be called free ports....
where traders can escape the high East India tariffs, it is a dangerous one where illegal transactions are common.
Captain Jack SparrowCaptain Jack Sparrow is a fictional character from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise who is portrayed by Johnny Depp. He was introduced in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl , and appeared in the back-to-back sequels, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End , as well...
and
Will TurnerWilliam "Will" Turner, Jr. is a fictional character in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. He is played by Orlando Bloom . Will is a blacksmith's apprentice working in Port Royal. He is in love with the governor's daughter, Elizabeth Swann, although he is a member of a lower social class...
, in hot pursuit of
CaptainThe Captain or Master of a merchant vessel is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. A Ship's Captain, also called Shipmaster or Skipper, is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel...
Hector BarbossaHector Barbossa or "Captain Barbossa" is a fictional character and pirate in the popular Disney film trilogy Pirates of the Caribbean. Barbossa was first introduced in the series as the primary antagonist and pirate captain of the Black Pearl after committing mutiny against the ship's former...
, moor their stolen ship, the
H.M.S. Interceptor there to recruit a crew. Their conscripts included
Joshamee GibbsJoshamee Gibbs, often referred to as Mr. Gibbs, Master Gibbs, or simply Gibbs, is a fictional character in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise, played by Kevin McNally and voiced by Steven Jay Blum in video game adaptations....
, Anamaria, Cotton, and Marty.
Tortuga also appears in
Dead Man's Chest. Will goes there to hunt for Jack Sparrow, although he ultimately finds him on Pelegosto Island (see below). A denizen tells Will that he saw a ship with black sails (the
Black PearlThe Black Pearl, originally EItC Wicked Wench, is a fictional ship in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. The Black Pearl is easily recognised by her distinctive black hull and sails. This...
) beached on Pelegosto while he was sailing a trade route. Jack returns to Tortuga to try and enlist ninety-nine unsuspecting sailors to pay off his blood debt to
Davy JonesDavy Jones is a fictional character from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, loosely based on the old seaman's legend of Davy Jones' Locker...
. Although he falls far short of his goal, the new crew proves useful during the final confrontation with the Kraken, although they apparently do not survive. Jack is reunited with
Elizabeth SwannElizabeth Swann is a fictional character in the Walt Disney Pictures Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. She appears in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and its two sequels, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End...
while in Tortuga and also recruits the down-and-out
James NorringtonAdmiral James Norrington is a fictional character in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean film trilogy. He is played by English actor Jack Davenport.-Character history:...
, who resigned his commission after losing his ship in a hurricane while pursuing the
Black Pearl, although Norrington first tries to shoot Sparrow.
At the conclusion of
At World's End, Barbossa attempts to leave Jack there with Gibbs by stealing inciting another mutiny among the crew, but Jack is able to escape with a miniature sail boat apparently left there by the crew so he is not completly stranded unlike last time. Gibbs remains behind in Tortuga when Jack leaves.
Pelegosto
Pelegosto is a fictional island. The relevant scenes were actually filmed on the lush, tropical island of
DominicaDominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. To the north-northwest lies Guadeloupe, to the southeast Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth of Dominica has an...
.
In
Dead Man's Chest, Bootstrap Bill Turner, acting as an agent for
Davy JonesDavy Jones is a fictional character from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, loosely based on the old seaman's legend of Davy Jones' Locker...
, delivers the
Black SpotThe Black Spot is a fictional literary device invented by Robert Louis Stevenson for his novel Treasure Island. In the book, a pirate is presented with a "black spot" to officially pronounce a verdict of guilt or judgment. It consists of a piece of paper or card, with a circular black spot in the...
to Captain Jack Sparrow, a mark that indicates his blood debt to Jones is due. To hide from the Kraken, and to seek the advice of
Tia DalmaTia Dalma, played by Naomie Harris, is a fictional character from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and a primary character in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, in which a good amount of the plot revolves around her and her powers.-Character History:Little is...
, Jack commands the
Black Pearl to land on Cannibal Island, the nearest island. Cannibal Island is a typical Caribbean island with sandy beaches and lush, mountainous jungles. But it is not the paradise it appears to be, as it is inhabited by a vicious cannibal tribe that captures the
Pearl's crew and eats some crewmen. They also believe Jack Sparrow to be a god in human form and plan to eat him to "release him from his fleshy prison". Will Turner arrives and helps them escape the island.
The
obeahObeah is a term used in the West Indies to refer to folk magic, sorcery, and religious practices derived from Central African and West African origins. Obeah can either be a form of 'dark' magic or 'good' magic. As such, Obeah is similar to Palo, Voodoo, Santeria, rootwork, and hoodoo...
woman
Tia DalmaTia Dalma, played by Naomie Harris, is a fictional character from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and a primary character in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, in which a good amount of the plot revolves around her and her powers.-Character History:Little is...
makes her home in a swampy bayou in the Pantano River on the other side of the island. A population of mysterious natives live in shacks along the river's banks, in relative safety. The cannibals avoid this part of the island, most likely out of fear of Tia Dalma. The fact that Tia Dalma is in fact the goddess Calypso in human form that is seeking release may have been the basis for the Pelegosto's beliefs, though where the taste for human flesh came from is decidedly less clear.
According to the film's writers in the
Dead Man's Chest DVD commentary, Pelegosto is the same island Jack told Royal Navy Marines, Mullroy and Murtogg about in
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. He tells them " and then they made me their chief . . ." before being interrupted by
Elizabeth SwannElizabeth Swann is a fictional character in the Walt Disney Pictures Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. She appears in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and its two sequels, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End...
falling into the water. It is open to conjecture whether or not the cannibals that call the island home recognised Jack when he was again made their chief in
Dead Man's Chest.
Isla Cruces
Isla Cruces is a fictional island. The relevant scenes were actually filmed in
DominicaDominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. To the north-northwest lies Guadeloupe, to the southeast Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth of Dominica has an...
and Great Exuma, The Bahamas.
In
Dead Man's Chest, Isla Cruces (Crosses Island) is a tropical island where
Davy JonesDavy Jones is a fictional character from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, loosely based on the old seaman's legend of Davy Jones' Locker...
buried the Dead Man's Chest containing his beating heart. The island appears to have been abandoned. The previous occupants are unknown, but the partially-remaining stone buildings indicate some European-type colony, probably Spanish, was once established there.
It is not revealed in the film why Davy Jones buried the Dead Man's Chest on Isla Cruces. However, the film's writers,
Ted ElliottTed Elliott is an American screenwriter. Along with his writing partner Terry Rossio, Elliott has written some of the most successful American films of the past 15 years, including Aladdin, Shrek and Pirates of the Caribbean. In 2004, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of...
and
Terry RossioTerry Rossio is a screenwriter from Kalamazoo, Michigan. After graduating from Saddleback High School in Santa Ana, California, he went on to study at California State University, Fullerton where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Communications, with an emphasis in radio, television and film. He...
, imply in the
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest DVD audio commentary, that Jones chose it because it is a plague island that remains deserted.
Singapore
The fictionalised Singapore is filled with bridge-covered waterways and crude wooden buildings. It appears in
At World's End when
Hector BarbossaHector Barbossa or "Captain Barbossa" is a fictional character and pirate in the popular Disney film trilogy Pirates of the Caribbean. Barbossa was first introduced in the series as the primary antagonist and pirate captain of the Black Pearl after committing mutiny against the ship's former...
and
Elizabeth SwannElizabeth Swann is a fictional character in the Walt Disney Pictures Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. She appears in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and its two sequels, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End...
visit
Sao FengCaptain Sao Feng is a fictional character introduced in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, the sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl...
to steal navigational charts and to request a crew and a ship to rescue Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones’ Locker. The city is last shown as Barbossa, Will, Elizabeth, and the crew set sail in Feng's ship, the Hai Peng.
In the
The Curse of the Black Pearl Jack Sparrow mentions Singapore to the two clueless guards as he cuts Elizabeth's corset after she fell of a cliff and into the sea: "Clearly, you've never been to Singapore." It is also mentioned in
Dead Man's Chest, while Will is asking for the whereabouts of Jack. One man says, "Sure as the tide, Jack Sparrow...turn up in Singapore."
The Singapore of the movies differs markedly from historical
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island city-state located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, lying north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. At , Singapore is a microstate and the smallest nation in Southeast...
. The modern port of Singapore was founded by
Stamford RafflesSir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles was a British statesman, best known for his founding of the city of Singapore . He is known as the "Father of Singapore"...
in 1819. In the period depicted in the movie, there was only Malay fishing village called Temasek on the island, not the old Chinese city depicted in the film. (See
Early history of SingaporeThe early history of Singapore refers to the history of Singapore before 1819, when the British established a trading settlement on the island and set in motion the history of 'modern Singapore'. Prior to 1819, Singapore was known by several names in written records dating back as early as the 2nd...
.)
Davy Jones's Locker
Davy JonesDavy Jones is a fictional character from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, loosely based on the old seaman's legend of Davy Jones' Locker...
's Locker is a fictional place mentioned in the film
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's ChestPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a adventure film of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the sequel to the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and the first film from Walt Disney Pictures to feature the current logo...
by
Will TurnerWilliam "Will" Turner, Jr. is a fictional character in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. He is played by Orlando Bloom . Will is a blacksmith's apprentice working in Port Royal. He is in love with the governor's daughter, Elizabeth Swann, although he is a member of a lower social class...
's father, Bootstrap Bill. It is a purgatory where those who are sent there are faced with their personal demons. It is Davy Jones's favoured punishment for those who attempt to cheat him. Even supernatural beings, such as
CalypsoTia Dalma, played by Naomie Harris, is a fictional character from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and a primary character in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, in which a good amount of the plot revolves around her and her powers.-Character History:Little is...
, can be sent there and cannot escape. The only condemned person known to have escaped the Locker is Captain Jack Sparrow.
For most, the only way to reach the Locker is to die at sea. The Kraken, a giant sea monster which drags sailors and their ships to the ocean depths, inflicts this fate at Jones' request. However, the only means by which one may enter the Locker and return afterwards is described by Tia Dalma; by sailing to (or more precisely,
off) World's End. This is impossible without
Sao FengCaptain Sao Feng is a fictional character introduced in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, the sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl...
's navigational charts.
For Jack, the Locker appears as a seemingly endless desert, connected to an equally endless sea (filmed in the Utah
Bonneville Salt FlatsThe Bonneville Salt Flats are a 159 square mile salt flat in northwestern Utah. The depth of the salt has been recorded at 6 feet in many areas. A remnant of the ancient Lake Bonneville of glacial times, the salt flats are now public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management...
). Jack is doomed to captain the Black Pearl crewed by many different Jack Sparrows through the desert, but it doesn't move until crabs which look like stones (and are apparently sent by Calypso) appear and carry the stranded
Black Pearl to the shore. The endless sea, known as the
Sea of Lost Souls, is the only escape route, which is filled with those who died at sea. They were unable to reach the afterlife, forsaken by
Davy JonesDavy Jones is a fictional character from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, loosely based on the old seaman's legend of Davy Jones' Locker...
, whose duty it was to ferry them to the "
other sideThe afterlife is the idea that the consciousness or mind of a being continues after physical death occurs. In many popular views, this continued existence often takes place in a spiritual or immaterial realm. Major views on the afterlife derive from religion, esotericism and metaphysics...
." Governor Swann is found here after having been murdered by Beckett.
Returning to the living world is far more difficult, requiring knowledge of the relationship between the Locker and the living world. Such knowledge can also be found within Sao Feng's chart, but as confusing and cryptic clues. However, Jack is able to decipher the clue needed to return to the Living World:
Up is Down. The crew of the
Black Pearl capsize the ship at sundown, and return to the Living World at sunrise.
Davy Jones' locker is also mentioned briefly in
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black PearlPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a 2003 adventure film, based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney theme parks...
. Will is on the Black Pearl and threatens Barbossa by saying "Let them go! Or my body shall be lost to Davy Jones' locker". This statement was merely a reference to the mythologised Davy Jones' locker and was not intended to
foreshadowForeshadowing is a literary technique used by many different authors to provide clues for the reader to be able to predict what might occur later on in the story...
the events from the subsequent two films.
Shipwreck Cove
Shipwreck Cove is an inlet on the fictional Shipwreck Island in the
2007The year 2007 in film saw many new films released worldwide, including several major mainstream sequels, prequels, and remakes as well as original films.-Top grossing films:...
film,
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. The island is unique in that its land mass in the interior is composed entirely of
shipwreckA shipwreck is the remains of a ship that has wrecked, it having either been sunk or beached. A shipwreck can refer to a wrecked ship or to the event that caused the wreck, such as the striking of something that causes the ship to sink, the stranding of the ship on rocks, land or shoal, or the...
s. Shipwreck Cove is considered to be an impregnable fortress, well-supplied, and able to withstand nearly any siege. Shipwreck Cove, the meeting place for the Brethren Court, is also the location of the town of Shipwreck.
According to the
Essential Guide to Pirates of the Caribbean, every ship must pass through the Devil's Throat upon entering, which claims several vessels each year.
Minor Locations
Also not the actual name. Because Davy Jones can only step on land once every ten years, he and Lord Cutler Beckett meet with Elizabeth Swann and Captain Barbossa there (while Jones stands in a wooden tub filled with water). While there, they swap Will Turner for Jack Sparrow, and Elizabeth vows to Beckett to avenge her father's death. It is seen only in
At World's End. This sandbar is not something done in a studio. The sandbar itself is a mile or so from Disney's private island
Castaway CayCastaway Cay is a private island or "out island" in the Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port of call for the Disney Cruise Line ships Disney Wonder and Disney Magic. It is located at near Great Abaco Island, and was formerly known as Gorda Cay...
, which is also the final resting place for the actual movie prop "The Flying Dutchman".
An ocean filled with icebergs and glaciers that the ship that Sao Feng gave the crew must sail through on their quest to rescue Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker. The special features on the At World's End DVD suggested that this may have been the
Caspian SeaThe Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. It has a surface area of 371,000 square kilometres and a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometres...
.
The island that Jack's crew finds themselves after returning from Davy Jones' Locker.
- Black Sam's Spit/Rumrunner's Isle
The island that Jack finds himself marooned on twice and made "governor" of by Barbossa.
When a merchant ship was attacked here by the kraken under the order of Davy Jones, the surviving crew was taken by Jones and his crew. Unfortunately, Will Turner was among them, although he later escapes.
A rocky island with an apparently inhumane prison built atop its spires. A drawing of the key to Davy Jones' Chest was once hidden within its walls, until Jack Sparrow successfully recovered it.
See also