The series is loosely based on the life of Stede Bonnet, a wealthy aristocrat turned swashbuckling pirate. Even the premise alone implies a lot of fertile ground for someone like Taika, who had a somewhat similar aristocrat character in What We Do in the Shadows. It is planned for Taika to direct the pilot of the show, and continue to serve as a producer on the series while David Jenkins acts as the showrunner. HBO has yet to announce a release date, but has said that filming will begin once Taika finishes up on Thor: Love and Thunder.
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Stede Bonnet himself is an interesting character, with a lot of comedic potential. Born to a wealthy family on Barbados, he inherited his family’s estate. Eventually, due to his marital problems, he decided that he was going to become a pirate, despite his lack of sailing experience, his comfy upbringing earning him the name “The Gentleman Pirate.” He was almost immediately wounded, and fell into the company of Blackbeard, who he decided to work with for some time. At some point along the way he was pardoned for his acts, but returned to piracy anyways, eventually resulting in him being sentenced to death for his crimes.
Head of Original Content at HBO Max, Sarah Aubrey, was happy to announce the project, claiming that “David and Taika’s unique take on Bonnet’s rollicking misadventures on the high seas, are sure to thrill and delight audiences everywhere.” It does seem like there’s plenty of reason to be hopeful, between Taika’s track record and the interesting material he’s working with, the show has a lot of potential. All that remains to be seen is who gets cast in what roles, and when audiences can finally watch it for themselves.
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Source: Collider
