Taika Waititi the Mandalorian director-actor will play the feared pirate Blackbeard in Our Flag Means Death. According to sources the project is loosely based on the true adventures of Stede Bonnet, “a pampered aristocrat who abandoned his life of privilege to become a pirate.” Bonnet was a Barbadian pirate of English descent who met Blackbeard, real name Edward Teach, together they joined forces to plunder and capture merchant ships along the East Coast of America. After Bonnet failed to capture one particular ship, Protestant Caesar, his crew abandoned him to join Blackbeard
aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge.
Despite the dramatic nature of the storyline, Our Flag Means Death is a six part comedy.
“Our Blackbeard is a legend, a lover, a fighter, a tactical genius, a poetic soul, and quite possibly insane,” says showrunner 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.”
Also starring in the show is Rhys Darby (the games master in the current Jumanji films) The project marks the latest collaboration between Darby and Waititi. Darby starred in the HBO series Flight of the Conchords, on which Waititi was writer/director. Darby also stars in Waititi’s upcoming feature Next Goal Wins,
Waititi will also direct the pilot and executive produce the project. Jenkins, Garrett Basch and Dan Halsted also executive produce.