Posted in: HBO, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: bleeding cool, cable, HBO, hbo max, our flag means death, pirates, preview, Rhys Darby, streaming, taika waititi, television, tv

Our Flag Means Death: Taika Waititi Set as Blackbeard in Pirate Comedy

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) are sticking pretty close to home when it comes to the newest addition to their upcoming HBO Max period comedy series Our Flag Means Death. Already set to executive produce and direct the pilot, Waititi will star opposite Rhys Darby's (Wrecked, "Jumanji" film franchise) 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. Waititi will be tackling the role of Blackbeard, history's most feared and revered pirate. Garrett Basch (The Night Of, What We Do in the Shadows) and Dan Halsted executive produce alongside Waititi and Jenkins.

"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."

HBO Max is WarnerMedia's direct-to-consumer streaming service that was first introduced in May 2020. With 10,000 hours of curated premium content, HBO Max offers powerhouse programming for everyone in the home, bringing together HBO, a robust slate of new original series, key third-party licensed programs, and movies, and fan favorites from WarnerMedia's rich library including motion picture and TV series from Warner Bros., highlights from New Line, and catalog titles from DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more. You can learn more about the HBO Max streaming service on its website (here).

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