Our Flag Means Death Showrunner Addresses Similarities Between Thor: Ragnarok and What We Do in the Shadows

Our Flag Means Death is a new HBO Max series that debuted its first three episodes this week. The show stars Rhys Darby as Stede Bonnet, a real-life pirate who gave up his wife and wealthy lifestyle to live a life of crime. The show also features Taika Waititi as Blackbeard. Waititi is an executive producer on the show and directed two episodes, but he is not credited as a writer like he is on many other projects. During a recent interview with Polygon alongside Darby and showrunner David Jenkins, Our Flag Means Death was compared to two of Waititi’s biggest projects, Thor: Ragnarok and What We Do in the Shadows. Polygon mentioned that they all share a common thread of “people self-mythologizing” and Jenkins was asked how that ended up becoming the central idea in Our Flag Means Death. 

“It seems like it appeals to both of us,” Jenkins explained. “And I think there’s a lot of overlap in terms of what appeals to us in comedy. Definitely in this, I really like something about a character in existential freefall, because I feel that way. I think everyone feels that way, on some level, and likes to see it reflected onscreen. As opposed to, like, James Bond, who’s invulnerable. Who cares? I don’t care about James Bond. That’s why there are 20 movies about him – anyone can play James Bond. Rhys, you could play James Bond if you wanted.” 

Darby chimed in and said, “Can you make that happen, Taika?.” “Yeah, done,” Waititi joked.

Jenkins continued, “I think to play someone who is in this much pain, and do it as a comedy – that’s wonderful for me. I think on some level, we all feel like that, and we want to see that reflected onscreen. But I don’t want to see it in a drama. I want to laugh when I see it. I want to feel it, but I want to laugh.”

Waititi added, “I echo that. I’m attracted to characters who are just trying desperately to be seen, or to be cool, or just to be pulled in from the margins. And often, when that happens, they realize, ‘Oh, it was way cooler way out there, way cooler with a small group of my people. We were unique!’ So that self-realization, the idea that people always want something more, and then when it’s presented to you, it’s actually one of the worst things, it’s actually the biggest curse you can have – I love those stories.”

The first three episodes of Our Flag Means Death is now streaming on HBO Max. They will be followed by another three on March 10th, two on March 17th, and the final two on March 24th.