Posted in: HBO, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: David Jenkins, fred armisen, hbo max, our flag means death, pirates, Samba Schutte, taika waititi
Our Flag Means Death: Fred Armisen, Samba Schutte Join HBO Max Series
Fred Armisen (Portlandia, Los Espookys) and Samba Schutte (Sunnyside, 9-1-1) are set to board Oscar winner and multi-Emmy Award nominee Taika Waititi (What We Do In The Shadows, Jojo Rabbit) and writer-showrunner David Jenkins' (People of Earth) upcoming HBO Max period comedy series Our Flag Means Death in recurring roles. The duo joins a cast that includes Waititi, Rhys Darby (Wrecked, "Jumanji" film franchise), Leslie Jones (Coming 2 America, Saturday Night Live), Nat Faxon (Friends from College), Kristian Nairn (Game of Thrones), Nathan Foad (Bloods), Samson Kayo (Truth Seekers), Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful), Con O'Neill (The Batman), Vico Ortiz (Vida), Ewen Bremner (Trainspotting), David Fane (Next Goal Wins, Bro'Town), Joel Fry (Cruella, In The Earth), Guz Khan (Man Like Mobeen, Army of Thieves), and Matt Maher (Marriage Story, Captain Marvel). Garrett Basch (The Night Of, What We Do in the Shadows) and Dan Halsted are set to executive produce alongside Waititi and Jenkins.
The series stars Darby as Stede Bonnet, whose real-life adventures will loosely serve as the basis for the series. A moderately wealthy landowner, Bonnet turned to the pirate life- traveling the Eastern Seaboard with his crew on the Revenge, capturing or burning other vessels. Along with executive producing and directing the pilot, Waititi will be tackling the role of history's most feared and revered pirate, Blackbeard. Nairn plays Wee John Feeney, while Foad is Lucius, and Kayo plays Oluwande. Meanwhile, Kinnear does double duty as Captain Nigel Badminton and Chauncey Badminton, while O'Neill is on board as Izzy, and Ortiz is set as Bonifacia. Bremner is on board as Buttons, while Fane portrays Fang. Fry is set for Frenchie, while Khan plays Ivan and Maher plays Black Pete.
"Our Blackbeard is a legend, a lover, a fighter, a tactical genius, a poetic soul and quite possibly insane," said Jenkins in a statement when the news was first released. "Only one man could play this role, and that is the great Taika Waititi. We're thrilled beyond measure he's decided to don the beard." Waititi is expected to film the pilot after wrapping production on Marvel Studios' Thor: Love and Thunder. "A series concept like this jumps off the page and you can instantly envision every moment," said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO MAX, in a statement when Our Flag Means Death was first announced. "David and Taika's unique take on Bonnet's rollicking misadventures on the high seas, are sure to thrill and delight audiences everywhere."
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