What if What We Do in the Shadows was about swashbucklers on the high seas rather than vampires on Staten Island? We’re getting a similar sense of wry humour from Taika Waititi’s next TV project: pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death, starring Rhys Darby as “gentleman pirate” Stede Bonnet and Waititi himself as Blackbeard. A brand-new trailer has arrived and we’re more excited than ever to watch this one.
“He kills with… kindness!”
This Max Original hails not just from Oscar winner Waititi, who’s both co-star and producer here, but also creator and showrunner David Jenkins, whose previous credits include the very funny alien-abduction comedy People of Earth. Here’s the official description of Our Flag Means Death: “The unique new comedy is (very) loosely based on the true adventures of 18th century would-be pirate, Stede Bonnet, played by Rhys Darby. After trading in the seemingly charmed life of a gentleman for one of a swashbuckling buccaneer, Stede becomes captain of the pirate ship Revenge. Struggling to earn the respect of his potentially mutinous crew, Stede’s fortunes change after a fateful run-in with the infamous Captain Blackbeard, played by Waititi. Stede and crew attempt to get their ship together and survive life on the high seas.”
As if Darby and Waititi weren’t enough to get you to watch, the rest of the ensemble cast includes Nathan Foad, Samson Kayo (Truth Seekers), Vico Ortiz, Ewen Bremner, Joel Fry, Matt Maher, Kristian Nairn (Game of Thrones), Con O’Neill, Guz Khan, David Fane, Rory Kinnear, Samba Schutte, Nat Faxon, Fred Armisen, and Leslie Jones.
The HBO Max show will run 10 episodes total; the first three will arrive March 3, followed by three more on March 10, then two each on March 17 and 24.
Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.