In 1717, Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby), a wealthy Barbadian aristocrat who, tired of his sedentary life and unhappy marriage, abandons his family to take up piracy, despite having no aptitude for it. After buying a ship and hiring a crew, he sets out to make a name for himself as the Gentleman Pirate... Sailing aboard his ship, the Revenge, Captain Bonnet and his dysfunctional crew struggle to survive in the face of deadly threats from warships and other bloodthirsty pirates. In the course of their misadventures, the crew of the Revenge cross paths with notorious pirate captain Edward Teach (Taika Waititi) and his crew, including right-hand man Izzy Hands (Con O'Neill), and Bonnet and Teach end up falling in love.