Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

How did a freshly minted horror maestro, one of Hollywood's most alternative leading men, and the squeaky clean Mouse House join forces to revive the water-logged pirate genre? Join Chris and Lizzie as they brave the fraught production of 2003's surprise summer smash, The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. From explosive studio meetings to actual sinking ships, learn how Disney bet it all on a live action adaptation of one of their oldest theme park attractions.

*CORRECTIONS: Tombstone was produced under the Hollywood Pictures banner, which ran parallel to Touchstone at Disney from 1989 to 2001.

The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland opened three months after Walt Disney's death, not before.