They're swashbuckling. They're bold. And they're always on the wrong side of the law. The greatest pirate characters in movies are memorable figures that audiences love – or love to hate. Some good pirate characters search for treasure on the high seas, while other fictional pirates call space their home. A few of the best pirate roles even earned Oscar nominations for the actors who played them.
What roles will you find on this list of the best pirate characters in films? Without a doubt, Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow is one of the most popular pirates to ever hit the silver screen. The actor even earned an Oscar nomination for his instantly iconic performance. His Pirates of the Caribbean co-stars Will Turner and Hector Barbossa are also fan favorites. Captain Hook and Smee keep Never Never Land on alert in all of the Peter Pan movies.
Not all pirates appear in period films. In the 2013 movie Captain Phillips, Abduwali Muse commandeered the MV Maersk Alabama and its crew. Other great roles featured on this top pirate characters in film list include Yondu from Guardians of the Galaxy and Morgan Adams from Cutthroat Island.
You decide which pirate character deserves the treasured number-one position on this list. Vote your favorite fictional pirates up to the top and add any good pirate movie roles that are missing.1
6,5791,204Jack Sparrow
Johnny DeppFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Pirates of the Caribbean 5
Captain Jack Sparrow is a fictional character and a main protagonist in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. The character was created by screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and is... more2
4,3641,546Hector Barbossa
Geoffrey RushFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Hector Barbossa is a fictional character in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series partly inspired by Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha. Barbossa is portrayed by Australian actor Geoffrey Rush in all the... more- 33,6311,968
Davy Jones
Bill NighyFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Davy Jones is a character in the Pirates of the Caribbean feature film series, who first appears in the second film, Dead Man's Chest and returns in the series' third installment, At World's End. He... more - 43,3251,811
Joshamee Gibbs
Kevin McNallyFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Joshamee Hamish Gibbs is a fictional supporting character in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. He is portrayed by Kevin McNally and voiced by Steven Jay Blum in video game adaptations.... more - 53,5291,953
Will Turner
Orlando BloomFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
William "Will" Turner, Jr. is a fictional character and the main Protagonist in the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films. He appears in The Curse of the Black Pearl and two of its sequels, Dead... more - 63,9732,223
Captain Hook
Jason Isaacs, Danny KayeFilm: Peter Pan, Peter Pan, Hook, Peter Pan, Disney's Halloween Treat
James Hook is a fictional character from the adventure, fantasy film Neverland.... more - 72,2981,276
Elizabeth Swann
Keira Knightley, Lucinda DryzekFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Elizabeth Swann is a fictional protagonist of the first three films and a character in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. She appears in The Curse of the Black Pearl and two of its sequels,... more - 83,0791,736
Long John Silver
Charlton Heston, Tim CurryFilm: Treasure Island, Muppet Treasure Island, The Pagemaster, Treasure Planet, Treasure Island
Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colorful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear... more - 93,9502,243
Yondu
Michael RookerFilm: Guardians of the Galaxy
Yondu is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe, and a founding member of the original Guardians of the Galaxy team. Michael Rooker plays the character in the 2014 film... more - 102,0611,589
Smee
Bob Hoskins, Bill ThompsonFilm: Neverland, Peter Pan, Peter Pan, Hook
Mr. Smee is Captain Hook's bo'sun in J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and the novel Peter and Wendy.... more - 111,9731,521
"Bootstrap Bill" Turner
Stellan SkarsgårdFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner, Sr., portrayed by Stellan Skarsgaard, is a crewmember on Davy Jones' Flying Dutchman and Will Turner's father. He was once an associate of Jack Sparrow's who... - 121,7571,377
Captain Flint
Chriss Anglin, Randy QuaidFilm: Pirates of Treasure Island, Treasure Island Kids: The Pirates of Treasure Island
Captain J. Flint is a fictional 18th century pirate who features in a number of novels and films. Created by Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson, Flint first appears in a children's magazine in... more - 132,0581,651
Angelica Teach
Penélope CruzFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Angelica Teach is a fictional character in the 2011 action film Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.... more - 141,8921,694
Riddick
Vin DieselFilm: The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury, Untitled Chronicles of Riddick Sequel, The Chronicles of Riddick, Pitch Black
Richard B. Riddick, more commonly known as Riddick, is a fictional character and the antihero of four films in the Riddick series, as well as the two video games The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape... more - 151,5041,415
Cotton
David BailieFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Cotton is a fictional character from the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the 2006 film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and the 2007 film Pirates of the... more - 161,4701,382
Ragetti
Mackenzie CrookFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Ragetti is a fictional character from the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the 2006 film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and the 2007 film Pirates of the... - 171,4491,388
Marty
Martin KlebbaFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Marty is a fictional character from the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the 2006 film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and the 2007 film Pirates of the... more - 181,2061,413
Billy Bones
Justin Jones, Patrick McGoohanFilm: Pirates of Treasure Island, Treasure Planet, Treasure Island, Treasure Island, Treasure Island
Billy Bones is a fictional character, in the first section of Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island.... more - 191,2561,541
Peter Blood
Errol FlynnFilm: Captain Blood
- 201,2641,599
Morgan Adams
Geena DavisFilm: Cutthroat Island
Morgan Adams is a fictional character from the 1995 film Cutthroat Island.... - 211,0331,427
Sao Feng
Chow Yun-FatFilm: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- 228311,449
Abduwali Muse
Barkhad AbdiFilm: Captain Phillips
Abduwali Muse is a fictional character from the 2013 film Captain Phillips.... - 235781,112
Monkey D. Luffy
Mayumi TanakaFilm: One Piece
Monkey D. "Straw Hat" Luffy is a fictional character and the protagonist of the One Piece franchise created by Eiichiro Oda. He is first introduced in the manga chapter "Romance Dawn", first... more 
24156437Euron Greyjoy
- 254861,399
Capt. Vallo
Burt LancasterFilm: The Crimson Pirate
