While its deleted scenes may not be as famous as those in other popular franchises, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise does have its fair share of intriguing moments that didn't make it to the screen. Every Pirates of the Caribbean movie has deleted scenes, all of which vary in quality.
Some of these scenes should've stayed in the movie as they help flesh out the backstory, character development, and show important things that are never seen in the films. On the other hand, there are some that add nothing meaningful, making it clear why they were edited out in the first place.
Should've Kept
It's Just Good Business
At World's End cut a significant portion of Jack Sparrow and Lord Cutler Beckett's conversation. The deleted scene provides some crucial backstory, as it is revealed that Beckett once commissioned Jack to bring slaves to him. When Jack refused, Beckett attacked The Black Pearl, sending it sinking into the ocean. This necessitated the deal that Jack made with Davy Jones for him to raise the ship from the depths.
Not only does this backstory connect the dots between several events and characters, it also lays bare the true natures of Jack and Beckett. While Jack can be duplicitous and self-serving, there are lines that he is not willing to cross, which he makes clear with his powerful line, "People aren't cargo, mate." Beckett's comfort with slavery and his line "it's just good business" sums up his personality and further solidifies that he is the ultimate villain of the Dead Man's Chest and At World's End story.
Norrington Questions The Sincerity Of Elizabeth Accepting His Proposal
Commodore Norrington is no fool, and is one of Pirates of the Caribbean's best characters. He knows that Elizabeth only accepts his marriage proposal so that he will agree to help save Will Turner. This deleted scene from The Curse of the Black Pearl gives Norrington more depth as he tells Elizabeth that he knows she will keep her word, but he wishes she was accepting the proposal with sincerity. Norrington does not want to force her into a marriage that she doesn't want and he wants her to be happy.
She tries to convince him that she is sincere in wanting to marry him, but the seeds of doubt have already been planted. Norrington accepting that Elizabeth and Will love each other and giving them his blessing at the end of the movie feels more authentic because of this deleted scene.
The Map Is Finished
Dead Man's Chest shows Norrington presenting the heart of Davy Jones to Beckett, but it doesn't show what it comes immediately after. The deleted scene has elements that were saved for At World's End, such as Norrington being promoted to admiral and Davy Jones being shown under the control of Beckett.
The most compelling part of the scene is when the man drawing the world map in Beckett's office tells him that the map is finished. It is not only a reference to the literal drawing being finished, but that Beckett believes the pirates are finished as he can destroy them with Davy Jones now under his control. It makes the ending of Dead Man's Chest and the setup for At World's End more ominous.
If You Stab The Heart...
After Davy Jones tells Governor Swann that the Kraken killed Elizabeth, a grief-stricken Governor Swann tries to stab Davy Jones' heart. Norrington stops him from stabbing the heart and when Governor Swann tries to tell Davy Jones that he will kill him, Jones explains that whoever stabs the heart will become the next captain of The Flying Dutchman, bound to the ship and the sea like he is. Beckett then speaks with Mercer about how the governor has outlived his usefulness and is now a liability.
This scene shows why Beckett had Governor Swann killed, which is only briefly mentioned when Governor Swann sees Elizabeth in Davy Jones' Locker. It also demonstrates how despite his promotion, Norrington still cares deeply about the Swann family, setting up his decision later in the movie to choose Elizabeth over the East India Trading Company. Even though Bill Nighy is seen in his motion-capture suit, his performance as the evil villain Davy Jones is as imposing as ever and further cements the steep price of stabbing his heart.
Barbossa And Sao Feng Discuss The Brethren Court's History
The Brethren Court was a new and important piece of world-building that At World's End added to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The final version of At World's End omitted some of the dialogue that Hector Barbossa and Sao Feng share in regards to the Brethren Court. Sao Feng mentions that the Brethren Court hasn't met in his lifetime, but that his father was at the previous gathering and said it ended badly.
Barbossa reminds Sao Feng that the meeting before that was monumental, as it produced the code that all pirates live by. This dialogue would've helped to better flesh out the history of the Brethren Court, why Barbossa believed it was the best chance of the pirates defeating the East India Trading Company, and why Sao Feng was skeptical about the Brethren Court in the first place.
Glad They Cut
Peep Show
After giving Elizabeth the dress that Barbossa wants her to wear to dinner, Pintel and Ragetti watch her get dressed through a peephole in her door. Elizabeth quickly catches what is going on and pokes at Ragetti's glass eye peering in, causing it to roll away.
This was a wise scene to cut from The Curse of the Black Pearl, as there is nothing humorous or interesting about watching Pintel and Ragetti drooling and cackling as they watch Elizabeth getting dressed.
Henry Learns A Lesson
A Dead Men Tell No Tales deleted scene features Henry Turner trying to convince Jack to help him break his father's curse. Jack turns it into a lesson by teaching Henry how to properly position himself and hold his sword, all while using it as a distraction to point his gun at Henry. The lesson is to be the last one to die the next time Henry raises his sword.
The dynamic between Henry and Jack in this scene is trying to be reminiscent of the dynamic between Will and Jack in The Curse of the Black Pearl, but it doesn't add anything interesting or meaningful to the story that Dead Men Tell No Tales is telling and was best left on the cutting room floor.
You Weren't Supposed To Get Caught
At World's End shows the pirates escaping Singapore and heading for Davy Jones' Locker, but cut Barbossa chiding Will for getting caught by Sao Feng. An unfazed Will tells Barbossa that it worked out the way he wanted and walks away from him.
The exchange doesn't provide any new insight into Will, Barbossa, or their relationship. The audience already knows that Barbossa isn't happy about Will being caught and that everything Will is doing is part of his plan to free his father from The Flying Dutchman.
Jack Asks Questions About The Pelegostos
Being made the chief of the Pelegostos in Dead Man's Chest is one of the worst things to happen to Jack Sparrow. A deleted scene has Jack asking questions about the tribe, such as why there are so few children and if it's because they are tastier than the adults.
The whole Pelegostos plotline is problematic and largely unnecessary when it comes to the rest of Dead Man's Chest. The depiction of savage and simple-minded natives who make Jack their chief communicates harmful and outdated stereotypes. Jack's questions in the deleted scene only further reinforce these problematic elements.
Kraken Slayers Pintel & Ragetti
In At World's End, there is a scene where Pintel and Ragetti walk on top of the Kraken's corpse and excitedly talk about how they could call themselves Kraken slayers and use the deceased creature to make money. There is an extended sequence of them doing this that was cut from At World's End.
The extended sequence would not have added anything. The final cut of the movie makes it clear that Pintel and Ragetti are only brave around the Kraken now that it's dead, as opposed to the terror they showed when facing the beast in Dead Man's Chest.