In the swashbuckling sequel, the wedding plans of Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner are upended when Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company arrests them for aiding the notorious pirate Captain Jack Sparrow's escape. Beckett coerces Will into searching for Jack and retrieving his mysterious compass, a device that points to what the holder desires most. Meanwhile, Jack Sparrow has his own problems. Tormented by the ghost of Davy Jones, the legendary captain of the ghostly Flying Dutchman, Jack must settle his blood debt or face eternal damnation and servitude in the afterlife. The compass is the key to averting this fate, as it leads to the fabled Dead Man’s Chest containing the heart of Davy Jones.

Jack, now desperate to find the chest, is joined by Will and later by a determined Elizabeth, who has escaped confinement. The trio sets sail towards treacherous waters, dealing with cannibalistic natives, old allies, and new enemies. As Jack seeks to preserve his freedom and Will aims to fulfill his mission for Beckett in hopes of freeing Elizabeth, they all become entangled in the cursed politics of the ocean depths. With betrayals, reversals, and dark secrets surfacing, the pursuit of the Dead Man’s Chest attracts the attention of dangerous and sinister forces, setting the stage for a perilous adventure that tests the limits of everyone's cunning and loyalty.