It is with no doubt one can say that the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been one of the greatest inspirations behind numerous people’s Halloween costumes. But turns out, that is not all, its influence is way beyond unexpected corners, and that includes the WWE.
In particular, Paul Burchill’s persona in the ring which bore a striking resemblance to Johnny Depp’s iconic portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow. Thus, Vince McMahon’ was accused of plagiarizing the hit franchise. But did they really copy Depp? Here is the real story behind it!
Did Vince McMahon Truly Base Paul Burchill’s Pirate Character on Pirates of the Caribbean?
Vince McMahon was not just a wrestler but a true performer. Throughout the years, he’s delighted countless fans by embodying various characters. And as he took charge of WWE, he made sure to keep things exciting and new.
Given the popularity of Johnny Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, many assumed McMahon was copying the Depp character when WWE introduced Paul Burchill as a pirate. However, it turns out this assumption is not entirely accurate according to a fellow wrestler at least. While McMahon was indeed inspired by a film, it wasn’t the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
William Regal cleared the air on the matter during his own podcast Gentleman Villian. He revealed that while Burchill’s pirate persona may seem reminiscent of Johnny Depp’s character from Pirates of the Caribbean, McMahon’s inspiration actually stemmed from a different source altogether. He said,
“At the time, everybody thought oh Mr. McMahon is copying Pirates of the Caribbean. I can tell you definitely, that was a hog. Mr. McMahon had no clue about Pirates of the Caribbean and he just heard Burchill talk and he remembered some old movies, like Treasure Island from years ago, and thought he sounded like a pirate. That’s why he gave him the character. He wasn’t trying to copy Johnny [Depp]. I’m sure other people, and probably Paul Burchill, would base it around Johnny Depp,”
Regal assured that McMahon was not familiar with Pirates of the Caribbean but based the pirate persona off of Treasure Island instead.
Vince McMahon’s Involvement in Pitching Paul Burchill’s Pirate Character
Despite William Regal vouching for Vince McMahon and claiming he wasn’t aware of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Paul Burchill’s revelation paints a different picture. In an interview with WWE, Burchill stated,
“I went to Mr. McMahon and he said, ‘You’re going to be a pirate, like from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’ I said, ‘OK, so you want me to be like Keith Richards?’ He said, ‘Yes, but dressed like a pirate!’ It’s funny, that seems to be what defines my career,” Burchill said. “People are like, ‘Oh, the pirate,’ and some are like, ‘That poor guy, he had to do that.’ I would do it right now. I loved it.”
Paul Burchill debuted his pirate character in 2005, coinciding with the peak of the franchise’s popularity. In the storyline, Burchill learned that his ancestry could be traced back to the infamous pirate Blackbeard.
This gimmick quickly garnered his popularity and received a lot of positive responses. Although it remains unclear whether it was inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean, it certainly worked in Burchill’s favor!
