Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a fighting game released for Game Boy Advance in May 2003, tied to the film of the same name. The game arrived during a period of internal uncertainty at Disney regarding the movie franchise, with the studio's confidence in the property remaining notably low at the time of its release.
Coverage has since explored how Disney's hesitancy about the Pirates property affected its video game support. According to accounts of the game's development, internal priorities shifted away from the Pirates license, with studio focus directed elsewhere instead. The lack of a more substantial video game tie-in reflects the broader skepticism surrounding the film during its development, though the movie would ultimately prove Disney's doubts unfounded.
"The push internally was, 'focus on Mansion and forget Pirates.'". There has been no shortage of stories over the years about the development of the first Pirates of the Caribbean film and the lack of confidence in the movie from Disney executives. But perhaps nowhere is this mor…