Taika Waititi has made a career out of satire, breaking out with What We Do In The Shadows before finding Oscar success with Jojo Rabbit. Now he’s turning his satirical eye to pirates for a new series on HBO Max titled Our Flag Means Death.
The series will be loosely based on the real life of Stede Bonnet, who was known as ‘The Gentleman Pirate’ because he abandoned his former bourgeois life of comfortable wealth to instead live one full of criminal adventures on the high seas. Waititi will serve as an executive producer on the show and will direct the pilot.
David Jenkins (People Of Earth) is being credited as the creator of the series and will also be the showrunner. Production on the first episode will reportedly begin once Waititi finishes shooting Thor: Love And Thunder.
Sarah Aubrey, head of original content for HBO Max, said in a statement: “David and Taika’s unique take on Bonnet’s rollicking misadventures on the high seas, are sure to thrill and delight audiences everywhere”.
This is a nice snag for HBO Max, as Waititi has quickly become a major name even outside of cinephile circles. His satirical comedies and work on Thor: Ragnarok and The Mandalorian means that he appeals to multiple demographics, which is exactly what you want to hear if you’re a streaming service striving for content and subscribers.
#Peace.Love.OurFlagMeansDeath
