Avast, me hearties! Pull up your bootstraps hoist the mainsail because Rhys Darby has been cast as the lead for Our Flag Means Death, HBO Max's period comedy series from Taika Waititi. The series marks yet another collaboration for the duo, who in the past have worked together on projects like What We Do in the Shadows and Flight of the Conchords. Darby is also set to star in Waititi's upcoming soccer feature Next Goal Wins, which tells the story of the American Samoa soccer team, who suffered the worst loss in World Cup history.
Created by Waititi, writer David Jenkins, Garrett Basch, and Dan Halsted, Our Flag Means Death s based loosely on the true adventures of Stede Bonnet, played by Darby, a well-to-do gentleman farmer and child of wealth who suffers a mid-life crisis and becomes captain of The Revenge, a pirate ship in the early 18th century. Bonnet was a moderately wealthy landowner who later turned to a life of crime as a pirate. He bought a sailing vessel, named it Revenge, and traveled with his paid crew along the Eastern Seaboard of what is now the United States, capturing other vessels and burning other Barbadian ships. (per Deadline)
Jenkins, in addition to writing the series, will also serve as showrunner. Meanwhile, Waititi will executive produce as well as direct the pilot episode. Jenkins, Basch, and Halsted will also serve as executive producers on the project.
Famously known for playing Murray Hewitt on the musical comedy series Flight of the Conchords, and Anton the werewolf (not swearwolf) for What We Do in the Shadows, Our Flag Means Death strikes me as the perfect starring vehicle for Darby's talents to really set sail on HBO Max. I've enjoyed Darby in every role I've seen him in, large or small, it doesn't matter. He always brings something special to his parts and I'm excited by the prospect of him playing a dandy turned pirate for Waititi's upcoming series. Load the cannons and let's go!
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