Taika Waititi Is Making a Pirate Comedy Series for HBO Max

After bringing vampires to Staten Island, giving Thor a haircut, and showing a young German boy how to kick Hitler out of a window, one of our generation’s most unique storytellers is taking his talents to the open seas. Taika Waititi is currently working on a brand new TV series for HBO Max, and it sounds like the kind of project perfect for the guy who made What We Do in the Shadows and Jojo Rabbit. The series is called Our Flag Means Death, and it’s a comedy about a bunch of pirates.

Waititi has teamed up with David Jenkins, Garrett Basch, and Dan Halsted for the new series, which will star Jumanji actor Rhys Darby. The pairing of Darby and Waititi will certainly be an exciting one for fans of the creator, as they previously worked together on HBO’s Flight of the Concords. Jenkins is the creator of Our Flag Means Death and will serve as the showrunner.

According to Deadline, Our Flag Means Death is based loosely on the adventures of Stede Bonnet, who will be played by Darby. Bonnet is a farmer and child of wealth who goes through a bit of a mid-life crisis. He ends up running from the farm to captain a pirate ship called the Revenge.

Of course, Bonnet doesn’t know the first thing about what it means to lead a life of crime on the open seas, so the comedy of the series will likely come from those adjustments. In real history, Bonnet sailed along the Eastern United States captured other sailing vessels.

While Jenkins serves as showrunner, Waititi will executive produce the series and direct the pilot. This is a similar role to the one he has served on What We Do in the Shadows, which is based on the feature film that was written and directed by Waititi and Jemaine Clement. Jenkins will also executive produce alongside Basch and Halsted.

At this time, HBO Max has not revealed any sort of release window for Our Flag Means Death, nor is there a set date for production to begin. With Darby in the lead role, the creative team will likely now begin filling out the rest of the cast.

What do you think of Waititi’s new HBO Max series? Let us know in the comments!