Oscar-winning Jojo Rabbit director Taika Waititi has been cast as the infamous pirate Blackbeard in HBO Max’s period comedy series Our Flag Means Death. He joins Rhys Darby (Flight of the Conchords) in the series.
Our Flag Means Death is “loosely based on the real-life adventures of Stede Bonnet (Darby), a well-to-do gentleman farmer from a wealthy family who, after undergoing a midlife crisis, elects to leave and become the captain of Revenge, a pirate ship in the early 18th century.”
“Our Blackbeard is a legend, a lover, a fighter, a tactical genius, a poetic soul, and quite possibly insane,” said series creator David Jenkins. “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.”
Jenkins created the series and is writing, executive producing and showrunning the series while Waititi will also executive produce as well as direct the pilot. Also executive producing are Garrett Basch and Dan Halsted.
Waititi is currently filming the next entry in Marvel’s Thor franchise Thor: Love and Thunder with Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Tessa Thompson reprising their MCU roles as Thor, Jane Foster and Valkyrie.
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