A look back at one of the biggest porn films of all time on it’s 5th anniversary…
Pirates 2 (2008)
From the visionary Writer/Director Joone, come the long awaited and highly anticipated sequel to Digital Playground’s ‘Pirates’. Superstar Jesse Jane returns as the irresistible Jules – the seductive pirate hunter who leads an all-star cast that includes the world’s hottest, most beautiful girls.
Ready with swords drawn high, Evan Stone, Tommy Gunn, and Stephen St. Croix reprise their groundbreaking roles from the original. ‘Pirates 2: Stagnetti’s Revenge’ is an epic adventure that showcases 11 of the most passionate sex scenes, breathtaking fight scenes, intense orgies and over 600 amazing special effects!
Studio: Digital Playground
Director: Joone
Starring:
- Jesse Jane
- Riley Steele
- Sasha Grey
- Jenna Haze
- Stoya
- Katsuni
- Shyla Stylez
- Belladonna
- Brianna Love
- Veronica Rayne
- Shay Jordan
- Abbey Brooks
- Brea Lynn
- Rhylee Richards
- Shawna Lenee
- Gabriella Fox
- Evan Stone
- Tommy Gunn
- James Deen
- Steven St. Croix
- Mick Blue
- Ben English
- Marco Banderas
- Charles Dera
Pirates 2: Stagnetti’s Revenge was released five years ago. And while there are thousands of porn movies released each year, most of which are forgotten about almost as soon as they debut, Pirates 2 has endured as one of the most successful and popular adult films of all time. To this day, it still ranks as one of the best selling porn films and easily outsells most new releases month after month.
It was also one of the riskiest bets ever taken by a porn studio.
Digital Playground spent over $10 Million making Pirates 2: Stagnetti’s Revenge. That’s approximately 500 times more expensive than an average porn movie. And considering that selling just a few thousand copies of an adult film qualifies it as a massive success, in addition to the reality that most people simply don’t pay for their porn anymore, it was no guarantee that Digital Playground would even come close to making their money back – let alone a profit – on Pirates 2.
The film was released on September 26, 2008. Leading up to the release date, the entire adult film industry was keeping a close eye on how Pirates 2 would perform. Even though the first Pirates porn was hugely successful, that film only cost $3 Million to produce. Should Pirates 2 flop, Digital Playground would have found itself in a very, very bad place.
So how did Pirates 2: Stagnetti’s Revenge end up doing?
To say that it sold well would be a massive understatement. Within the first week of its release, Digital Playground had sold over 250,000 copies. The film went on to sell well over a million copies, making it one of the best selling porn movie of all time. Today, five years after its debut, an HD copy of Pirates 2 will cost you around $60.
Why is Pirates 2: Stagnetti’s Revenge so popular?
Pirates 2 didn’t just sell kind of good, it shattered all previous records in terms of sales by wide margins. So what was the movie’s secret to success? A combination of things, really.
I’ll start with the cast. Pirates 2 features one of the most epic lineups of pornstars ever assembled into one production. Browsing through the credits of this movie is like reading a “Who’s Who” of the porn industry. Jesse Jane, Stoya, Riley Steele, Belladonna, Jenna Haze, Sasha Grey, James Deen, Evan Stone, Tommy Gunn, Steven St. Croix, Katsuni. And that’s not even half the performers who appear in Pirates 2.
Then there’s the fact that Pirates 2 was and still is unlike any other adult film that’s ever been produced. The amount and quality of special effects used to make Stagnetti’s Revenge is without precedent in the history of porn. This is an adult film that has computer generated sea monsters and undead skeleton hordes.
Additionally, Pirates 2 wasn’t just a big-budget porn film filled with the most popular pornstars on Earth. It also happened to be about pirates. And thanks to Johnny Depp, the popularity of swashbuckling buccaneers has never been more intense. So if Walt Disney pirates were sexy, XXX pirates took things to a whole other level.
Finally, after seeing what Digital Playground had accomplished with the first Pirates, people were sold on the idea that a porn movie could actually be high-quality and <gasp!> worth paying for. Hell, on my first wedding anniversary, do you know what me and my wife did? I got a bottle of champagne and we watched Pirates in our apartment. And she loved it.
So when the masses heard that a sequel was on the way – one with an even bigger production budget and cast – they didn’t need much convincing to line up to hand over their cash to Digital Playground to see Jesse Jane and Evan Stone engage in even more hardcore pirate-style fucking.
I should also mention that in addition to being one of the best-selling porn movies of all time, Pirates 2: Stagnetti’s Revenge was also ranked by Die-Screaming as the number two best Digital Playground ever made (the first Pirates movie was #1) and recommended as one of the best movies for couples to watch together on Valentine’s Day.
What do you think?
What are your thoughts on Pirates 2: Stagnetti’s Revenge as we reflect on the movie’s fifth anniversary? Have any of you not seen it? Anyone not like it? Let us know in the comments below.