The Pirates of the Caribbean movies have struggled creatively since Gore Verbinski’s departure in 2007, but a Davy Jones prequel could save the franchise from its curse of diminishing returns. Disney is keen to change direction with Margot Robbie’s female-led adventure, but ushering in a new roster of characters is a considerable gamble. It would be a mistake to ignore pre-established lore that could improve Verbinski’s trilogy about love and morality.
Davy Jones’ tragic romance with sea goddess Calypso was underused by the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels, hindering emotional attachment to the characters. It was stated the lovers betrayed one another, both confined to separate forms of immortal torment. Jones carved out his heart to symbolically shed his emotions, yet each remained bound to the other, as evidenced by their matching musical lockets. Small but meaningful teases of their relationship set the stage for a confrontation that never satisfactorily materialized onscreen.
Their Pirates of the Caribbean backstory could be significantly improved with a prequel movie and offer insight into why Jones became such a monster. He is a memorable villain who took great pride in slaughtering his opponents, but it’s the softer moments that make Jones such a complex character, and there are lingering questions about the details of his curse that provide the opportunity to retrospectively enhance the second and third films’ story. How did Davy Jones turn into an octopus-like monster and why did Calypso abandon him?
The rules of Jones’ curse and reasons why Calypso never visited him at sea were never fully defined. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End revealed he initially honored his soul-ferrying duty, only to step on land after 10 years with Calypso nowhere to be found. Only then did he quit his role and turn on her in revenge. This paints Jones in a more sympathetic light while exposing Calypso as the original instigator of cruelty. His narrative arc could come full circle with a prequel, exploring their affair and how he felt manipulated into spending an eternity aboard the Dutchman, in turn gleefully forcing future sailors into joining his crew. This story would also better explain Calypso’s sudden exit from Pirates of the Caribbean, underscoring her flighty nature. Jones was racked with guilt over helping the Brethren Court trap Calypso, giving a prequel ample opportunity to explore his psyche as he questions the truth behind their love.
Flashbacks to Jones’ time with Calypso would surely be important, but the story needn’t dwell on his origin. The focus should remain on his physical and emotional transformation, lending the film a body horror aesthetic as he relinquishes his humanity. This would provide the perfect contrast to Will Turner’s story. At World’s End saw Will ultimately take Jones’ place as captain of the Flying Dutchman, and a prequel exploring what horrors this life entails could emphasize the tragedy of his and Elizabeth’s star-crossed romance. Disney’s attempts to replicate the Will and Elizabeth courtship in later films failed to resonate, but a Davy Jones movie sidesteps this issue by involving familiar characters already firmly rooted in the larger story. This would showcase the birth of a monster while delivering a cautionary tale of cutting oneself off from the world.
The tragedy of Davy Jones emphasizes Pirates of the Caribbean’s theme of how the choices people make impact the lives of their loved ones. Of course, a clear distinction would need to be drawn between victim and villain, illustrating the point of no return where Jones actively embraced evil. However, a prequel would avoid the obstacle of Margot Robbie's reboot being compared to beloved original characters, and instead deepen the suffering that connects existing heroes and villains.