Comparing LEGO Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Ship to 2011’s Black Pearl

Aside from the name change, what else has changed between the two LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean ships, separated by 14 years?

It’s been 14 years since the last year LEGO Black Pearl set sail in 2011’s 4184 The Black Pearl. On paper, there are some substantial differences between it and 2025’s newly-revealed 10365 Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Ship – and not just that the name is a lot more of a mouthful.

The piece count has jumped by 2,000 pieces, the price has more than tripled from £84.99 to £299.99, and there are more minifigures to man the decks. We’re taking a closer look at what else is new, as well as what has stayed the same, in this comparison of the two LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean sets.

All black, from mast to mast

One element that has stayed the same is the largely all-black colour scheme. Despite its name, the wooden deck and structure of the ship on-screen in Pirates of the Caribbean was actually brown, with the title referring more to the exterior hull and black sails.

Those black sails are out in force on both ships, as well as a largely black hull. Admittedly, there are grey and silver details throughout both ships, including a more substantial grey edge around the waterline in 10365 Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Ship. However, both ships share the design choice to lean into a largely all-black look.

Beefed-up minifigure cast

There are eight minifigures in 10365 Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Ship, compared to just six in 4184 The Black Pearl. Between those two line-ups, only three – Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and Joshamee Gibbs – are making a return, and all of them have new looks. They’re also joined by Hector Barbossa, Elizabeth Swann, Cotton (and his parrot), Marty, and Anamaria, with the latter three making their LEGO debuts.

This beefier cast is perhaps expected, thanks to the much higher price tag. It offers a more in-depth snapshot of the ship, including some pretty minor, yet no less welcome, characters that didn’t have a ton of screentime. With Pirates of the Caribbean so long absent from the LEGO system, it’s an appropriately detailed glimpse into the iconic ship.

A shift in focus

The choice of minifigures, including those more background characters, also represents a shift in focus in 10365 Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Ship. Instead of Davy Jones and Bootstrap Bill, we get the three newcomers of Cotton, Marty and Anamaria. Generally speaking, the minifigures focus on characters from the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, reflected in the majority of the interior and accessories doing the same.

That’s not to say that there aren’t any references from later movies. You get the chest that hides Davy Jones’ heart, to name just one example, yet it’s fair to see the dominant focus of the LEGO Icons ship is The Curse of the Black Pearl.

2,000 extra pieces gets you depth, not size

With a jump in pieces of more than 2,000, you might expect a much larger ship – but that’s not actually the case. The 2025 ship measures 64cm tall and wide, while the original one from 2011 stands 50cm tall and 53cm wide. However, what you might not see directly in size you do get in depth and detail.

There are interior rooms to explore within the brick-built hull, with the ship being built steadily out of individual pieces, rather than largely from the moulded hull elements we got in 2011. As a result, a fully-furnished captain’s quarters is also included, along with 16 cannons that can be deployed at the turn of a dial and a rudder that can be operated by turning the ship’s wheel.

LEGO Icons 10365 Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Ship will be available to buy from September 12 for LEGO Insiders and from September 15 for everyone else for £299.99 / $379.99 / €349.99.

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