Why Pintel & Ragetti Didn't Return In Pirates Of The Caribbean 4 Or 5

Pintel and Ragetti were much-loved characters in Pirates of the Caribbean but dropped out of the story. The Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise launched in 2003 with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and rapidly gained a loyal fan base. Pintel and Ragetti, played by Lee Arenberg and Mackenzie Crook respectively, appeared in the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies to excellent effect. The comedic duo was widely loved and respected as a highlight of the series. Unfortunately, they did not return for the fourth and fifth outings.

After The Curse of the Black Pearl, Arenberg and Crook starred as Pintel and Ragetti in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Some of Pirates of the Caribbean‘s best sword fights, banter, and character development occurred in these movies, giving Pintel and Ragetti many opportunities to shine. This brought fans close to them, so they were missed when they dropped out of the series for Pirates of the Caribbean 4. However, there were a few good reasons for their absence.

Both Lee Arenberg & Mackenzie Crook Chose To Pursue Other Projects Rather Than Play Pintel & Ragetti Again

The Pintel & Ragetti Actors Chose Other Paths

Arenberg and Crook were strong additions to Pirates of the Caribbean but ultimately moved on to other projects before they were able to star in the franchise’s fourth and fifth movies, now one of the harshest realities of rewatching Pirates of the Caribbean. The pair were included in early drafts of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, but they were cut due to time constraints. They were considered again for the franchise’s fifth venture, but Crook had scheduling conflicts, so neither character was brought back. It was a shame, as the two could have gone further still.

What Could Have Happened To Pintel & Ragetti (In The World Of Pirates Of The Caribbean)

Pintel & Ragetti Could Have Continued Bringing Humor To POTC

Pintel and Ragetti could have simply continued bringing comedy gold to Pirates of the Caribbean, had they stayed in the franchise. There is nothing, necessarily, to say that they won’t ever return. However, it seems somewhat unlikely, considering their being cut from the last two movies. Unfortunately, the humor of the franchise could do with the variety and self-awareness that Pintel and Ragetti brought. Pirates of the Caribbean 5 didn’t end perfectly and could have used the light-hearted familiarity they embedded into the plot.

Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow and Geoffrey Rush's Barbossa in Pirates of the Caribbean

Related

Pirates Of The Caribbean Still Has A Major Jack Sparrow & Barbossa Plot Hole That Hasn’t Been Fixed After 17 Years

The Pirates of the Caribbean movies had many plot holes, but Barbossa and Jack Sparrow’s positions on the Brethren Court were particularly confusing.

The pirate pair may have started Pirates of the Caribbean 4 in separate crews, following on from the ending of the previous movie. This was implied by a post from Pirates of the Caribbean screenwriter Terry Rossio on the website he created with Ted Elliott, Wordplay. The two would have thought that the other was dead and met again near the movie’s climax. Pintel and Ragetti even have a Pirates of the Caribbean backstory invented by Arenberg and Crook whereby they were related, which makes this hypothetical Pirates of the Caribbean plot even better.

Source: Wordplay