Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

In the early 18th Century while sailing to Port Royal, Jamaica, Governor Weatherby Swann, his daughter Elizabeth, and Lieutenant James Norrington encounter a burning shipwreck and recover a young boy, Will Turner. Elizabeth discovers a golden pirate medallion around his neck, but keeps it so as to protect him. As boats are launched to scour the wreck, Elizabeth sees a ghost ship vanishing into the fog.

Eight years later, Norrington is promoted to Commodore and proposes to Elizabeth, but her tight corset makes her faint and fall into the sea. Will's necklace, which she is wearing, casts a summoning spell. Captain Jack Sparrowcomes to Port Royal intending to commandeer a ship, and rescues her. Norrington identifies Jack, and a chase ensues. Jack runs into Will, now a blacksmith and talented swordsman. They duel, and Jack is knocked unconscious, and captured and imprisoned.

That night, the Black Pearl, the ship Elizabeth saw as a child, attacks Port Royal in search of the medallion that summoned it. Two pirates capture Elizabeth and take her to meet Captain Barbossa for negotiations. Elizabeth says her last name is Turner, to conceal her identity as the governor's daughter, but Barbossa takes her as prisoner. Elizabeth tries and fails to kill him, and Barbossa reveals that after his crew took the Aztec treasure of Cortés from Isla de Muerta, they were cursed as immortals, and they appear as skeletons in moonlight. To lift the curse, they need to return all 882 gold pieces and sacrifice the blood of the owner of each piece. Elizabeth's medallion is the final piece.

Will Turner frees Jack from prison to rescue his love Elizabeth. Jack agrees upon learning Will’s surname. The two commandeer the HMS Interceptor, infuriating Norrington, and head for the lawless port of Tortuga to recruit a crew. Among the crew is Jack’s friend Joshamee Gibbs. Jack reveals that Will’s father Bootstrap Bill Turner was a pirate, which confuses and angers the law-abiding Will. Gibbs tells Will that Jack was captain of the Black Pearl until Barbossa mutinied and maroonedhim on an island; Jack escaped and vowed revenge on Barbossa. At Isla de Muerta, Will and Jack witness Barbossa sacrificing Elizabeth's blood and the final gold piece. However, the curse is not lifted because the medallion did not belong to Elizabeth; it belonged to Bootstrap Bill, making Will the owner by bloodline. Will rescues Elizabeth and brings her to the Interceptor, while Jack and his crew confront Barbossa aboard the Pearl and get locked in the brig.

The Pearl pursues the Interceptor, taking the crew hostage and destroying the ship. Will makes a deal with Barbossa to let Elizabeth go free in exchange for his blood to lift the curse, but Barbossa exploits a loophole in the agreement and maroons Jack and Elizabeth on the same island Jack was left on before. Elizabeth makes a smoke signal, and Commodore Norrington brings the HMS Dauntless to rescue Elizabeth and arrest Jack. Elizabeth requests Norrington to return for Will, convincing him by accepting his marriage proposal.

That night, the Dauntless arrives at Isla de Muerta. Jack plans to lure the pirates out to be ambushed by the crew of the Dauntless, but the plan goes awry when Barbossa's crew walks underwater to attack Dauntless. Elizabeth escapes the Dauntless and frees Jack’s crew from the brig of the Pearl. However, they refuse to help her rescue Will, so Elizabeth sets out on her own.

Jack seemingly reaches a deal with Barbossa to operate a pirate fleet, but suddenly frees Will and engages in a duel with Barbossa, while Elizabeth and Will fight off Barbossa's crew. Barbossa eventually stabs Jack, but Jack is revealed to be under the immortal curse as well, having taken and kept a piece of gold from Cortez’s chest. He reveals the entire deception as a coup to win back the Pearl. Jack shoots Barbossa, and Will simultaneously drops the final medallion into the chest, with his blood on it. The curse is now lifted, causing Barbossa to become mortal; Barbossa dies from Jack's gunshot, and the rest of Barbossa's crew are captured or killed by the Navy. Jack, Elizabeth, and Will escape the island.

Upon returning to Port Royal, Jack is led to the gallows to be hanged for piracy. Elizabeth diverts Norrington's attention and Will attempts a rescue, but Will and Jack are surrounded and held at gunpoint. Elizabeth intercedes and declares her love for Will, leaving Norrington crestfallen. Jack dives into the sea and escapes aboard the Black Pearl, which is waiting nearby. Governor Swann pardons Will and gives his blessing for Elizabeth to marry him. Norrington decides to permit Jack and thePearl "one day's head start" before initiating pursuit.

In a post-credits scene, Barbossa’s pet monkey steals a piece of gold from the chest and regains immortality.