AMC’s 78% RT Show That’s Being Compared To Pirates Of The Caribbean Has A Much More Complicated Jack Sparrow

June 30, 2025

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While it is being compared to Johnny Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean, AMC’s Nautilus has a much more complicated version of Jack Sparrow. Though it had a rocky production, Nautilus debuted to some strong scores on Rotten Tomatoes during its premiere in the United States. The show has a lot going for it, from the cast of Nautilus, led by Shazad Latif, to the impressive visual effects. It’s also a wildly adventurous show, and it’s setting on the open ocean makes it immediately similar to another iconic franchise: Pirates of the Caribbean. In fact, Nautilus even has its own version of Jack Sparrow.

From the start, Nautilus was compared to Pirates of the Caribbean, and for good reason. Both follow eccentric explorers, Jack and Nemo, who captain legendary ships, the Black Pearl and the Nautilus, while searching for treasure and adventure in the open ocean. They’re even set less than a century apart, and they both feature colonial powers like the Spanish Empire and the East India Mercantile Company as their main villains. As similar as they are, Nautilus has one key difference from Pirates of the Caribbean: its version of Jack Sparrow.

Nautilus’ Captain Nemo Is Just Like POTC’s Jack Sparrow, But With A Darker Twist

Nemo & Jack Are Both Sailors & Explorers, But Nemo Is Much Darker & More Serious

It’s clear to see that Captain Nemo and Jack Sparrow are very similar to one another. They certainly have differences – Jack is a much funnier, more unpredictable character, while Nemo is more focused and lets his crew take on most of the comedic work – but their biggest difference is in their backstories. Jack Sparrow’s original backstory revealed he became a pirate after freeing a ship full of enslaved people, but for most of POTC, he’s just a goofy character who doesn’t have much darkness surrounding him. Even the more morbid parts of his story, like his deal with Davy Jones, are mostly played for laughs and thrills.

Nemo, on the other hand, is a much more complicated character. Unlike Jack Sparrow, Nemo’s past is a fundamental part of him that informs every decision he makes, and it makes him a much darker, more serious character than POTC‘s protagonist. For example, we already know that Nemo’s wife and daughter were killed, presumably by the East India Mercantile Company, which is his motivation for revenge. He’s also much more interested in championing the rights of oppressed people, unlike Jack, who was always more interested in adventures and treasure and only did the right thing when someone made him.

Hopefully Nautilus Can Turn Captain Nemo Into The Magnetic Leader Jack Sparrow Was By The End Of Season 1

Nemo Has A Lot Of Growing To Do Before He’s As Charming As Jack Sparrow

While it is interesting to see a darker, more serious twist on Jack Sparrow, I still hope Nautilus can make Nemo more like his Pirates of the Caribbean counterpart. After the first two episodes of Nautilus, it’s clear that Nemo still has a lot of character development he needs to do. At this point, Nemo is almost too serious and dark, and he doesn’t have the respect of his crew. Hopefully, Nautilus will find a way to lighten Nemo up and give him a lighter, more playful side like Jack Sparrow. That would go a long way in making Nemo more likable.

Nautilus Release Schedule (Sundays @ 9 p.m. ET)
Title	Release Date
Anahata	June 29
Tick, Tick, Boom	June 29
What Lies Beneath	July 5
Slippery When Wet	July 12
Anguille Fumée	July 19
The Big Blue	July 26
Cold War	August 2
The Tipping Point	August 9
Ride of the Valkyrie	August 16
Too Big to Fail	August 23

Making Nemo more like Jack Sparrow would also fit with Nautilus‘ source material. Nautilus is inspired by Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and in Jules Verne’s novel, Nemo was a magnetic and almost excessively charming leader. Arronax literally had to isolate himself from Nemo so he could build up the courage to escape the submarine. With a bit of Jack Sparrow’s charm and sense of humor, Nautilus can show how Nemo went from a solitary, grumpy man to the iconic and charming leader he was in Jules Verne’s book. If it does, Nautilus could become the TV version of POTC we’ve all been waiting for.