Does the Disney film Jungle Cruise exist in the same universe as the Pirates of the Caribbean series? Disney's most recent adventure movie ventured forth into theaters this July, bringing the classic Disneyland ride to thrilling life; 18 years before, Pirates did the same. Besides their theme park origins, these films have surprising consistencies that suggest that both may exist in a shared reality.
In Jungle Cruise, Dr. Lily Houghton and Frank Wolff, played by Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson, respectively, venture down the Amazon River in search of the flowers of a magical life-giving tree. They must defeat cursed conquistadores and dangerous rivals to fulfill their quest. Adventure also abounds in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. The series follows Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he combats rival pirates and undead adversaries, escapes the curse of Davy Jones, and seeks legendary treasures, including the Fountain of Youth and the Trident of Poseidon. The films are filled with grand escapades and magic, both good and foul.
Curses play a significant role in Jungle Cruise and Pirates, and they work similarly in both franchises, suggesting the two may exist in the same universe. Punishment dealt through magic often forces immortality upon the cursed, a normally desirable quality turned dark; the magic nearly always disfigures or tortures the possessors. In Jungle Cruise, the conquistador Don Aguirre and his men are eternally tethered to the Amazon river, their bodies malformed and composed of the plants and animals around them. Similarly, in Pirates, the infamous Davy Jones and his crew are forever confined to the ocean, with their physical forms, again, made from various sea creatures. These disfiguring effects seem to be avoidable, however. Heroic, benevolent characters appear to be able to retain a normal appearance. Both Frank in Jungle Cruise and Will Turner maintain their human forms while experiencing immortality.
It seems much of the magic in these films also pertains to life and healing. The flowers of the Lágrimas de Cristal Tree in Jungle Cruise and the Fountain of Youth in Pirates’ On Stranger Tides both generally provide benign sources of healing magic, protected by strict protocols that prevent any unworthy persons from acquiring them. In the sense of punishing and healing magic, the rules behind these mystical forces appear significantly ubiquitous.
Films in shared universes are connected by standard rules and logic. The worlds of Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean appear to be connected in this way. The societies portrayed in their films are based on those in real history; the Royal Society and East India Company were prominent English organizations, and the conflicts about class and traditional gender norms are realistic. The films' timelines do not overlap in confounding ways, but their settings are in geographically similar areas: South America and the Caribbean seas. It could be possible that these films may take place not only in the same universe but in essentially the same place, separated by centuries.
Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean have more in common than just being Disney films based on theme park rides. While set in enhanced versions of real history, their stories revolve around the pursuit of immortality and the consequences of engaging with this kind of magic. As the logic behind their magic and settings’ realities appears shared, it is possible that Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean exist in the same universe.