Several pirate films were released during the 1990s that began a renewed interest in the genre. The 1991 film Hook, staring Robin Williams, Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins, and Dustin Hoffman as the flamboyant and bewigged Captain Hook once again brought Peter Pan to the limelight, reminding audiences why they love pirates. Five years later came Jim Henson's adored Muppets for a piratical turn in Muppet Treasure Island, featuring a dastardly Tim Curry as Long John Silver. Curry would later further his pirate career in the 1999 fantasy adventure Pirates of the Plain.

It wasn't until 2003, however, that the tide would forever turn on the pirate genre with the release of director Gore Verbinski's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. A highly publicized and anticipated film based in part on Disneyland's renowned ride of the same name, The Curse of the Black Pearl grossed over $45 million in its opening weekend and as of February 2007 has grossed over $650 million worldwide. As it turned out, those numbers would pale in comparison to the July 2006 sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, which set records for its opening weekend take of over $135 million and its astonishing worldwide gross of over $1 billion by the beginning of 2007. The latter figure has made Dead Man's Chest one of the top three grossing films of all time, and it's quickly encroaching on Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King to become the all-time grossing film.

There's no telling why Pirates of the Caribbean has become such a commercial success. Perhaps it's in part due to its action-packed tale, sweeping cinematography, and swashbuckling sequences. Or it could be the exceptional allure of scallywag pirate Jack Sparrow, brilliantly played by actor Johnny Depp. Part sympathetic rogue, part Keith Richards after a week-long bender, Depp brought a quirky and irresistible appeal to piracy, an effort that garnered him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. With classic pirate style and panache, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has brought piracy to the forefront and gone where no pirate film has gone before — straight to the bank and the record books. If luck be a lady, or in this case a wench, the adventures of Jack Sparrow and his motley crew will continue their cinematic plundering of audiences the world over with the Spring 2007 release of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

The current renewed interest in piracy has done much to shed light on the true stories of legendary pirates, especially those who allegedly buried vast fortunes in cleverly chosen areas that have yet to be discovered. A handful of elite treasure hunters have hit pay dirt in regard to maritime archeology, while at the same time uncovering fortunes in gold, silver, and jewels. This group of dreamers — driven by the same quest for treasure as the pirates were — made discoveries that are nothing short of astonishing.