HBO Max ordered a period pirate comedy, Our Flag Means Death, from Taika Waititi to series. Waititi is best known for his award-winning cinematic ventures like Jojo Rabbit and Thor: Ragnarok. But in recent times, the writer-director-producer hyphenate has also forayed into Television. Waititi's most memorable TV outing is the vampire-mockumentary What We Do In The Shadowsbased on his eponymous 2014 Kiwi-cult-favorite film. The show has been nominated for eight accolades at the 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, including the Outstanding Comedy Series category. Recently, Waititi directed the season finale of Disney+'s The Mandalorian. He also voiced the bounty-hunter droid IG-11 in the series, which earned him an Emmy nod for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance.

Waititi's success across various TV genres has inspired HBO Max to enlist him for developing an original series. The Warner-Media-backed streamer, which debuted in May, has faced criticism for its absence of original content. HBO Max boasted only six originals when it was launched. But it has since expanded to encompass various forms of original titles. HBO Max now has a fine roster of comedies, which includes the rom-com anthology series Love Life, and continuations Search Party (from TBS), Doom Patrol (from DC Universe), and Esme and Roy (from HBO). Currently, the streamer is eyeing other prospective projects to gain an edge over its competitors. A Kaley Cuoco-led mystery/ dark comedy series, The Flight Attendant, is headed to HBO Max in late 2020, and Taika Waititi's new show is also poised to arrive on the OTT platform soon.

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According to Deadline, HBO Max has handed out a straight-to-series order for Our Flag Means Death. The report suggests that Waititi's upcoming show is loosely based on the life of Stede Bonnet, an 18th-century Bardanian land-owner, who is colloquially referred to as the 'Gentleman Pirate.' Born in nobility in the Age of Enlightenment, Bonnet gave up on his affluent lifestyle to take up piracy. As a pirate, he sailed along the Eastern Seaboard, capturing vessels and burning down enemy ships. Bonnet's life will now be translated into a comedy show, which is being produced by Taika Waititi and his Shadows partner Garrett Basch. David Jenkins, who had earlier created the TBS comedy People of Earth, will serve as the upcoming series' showrunner.

Taika Waititi directing Jojo Rabbit

Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at HBO Max, believes that Waititi's forthcoming show will entertain audiences universally. "David and Taika’s unique take on Bonnet’s rollicking misadventures on the high seas are sure to thrill and delight audiences everywhere," said Aubrey. Aubrey is hopeful about the show's premise, which she believes, enables one to "instantly envision every moment." Waititi will begin filming Our Flag Means Death once he wraps up production on Thor: Love and Thunder. At the moment, no plot or casting details have been announced for Waititi's forthcoming show.

With several prestigious comedies already in its library, its clear that HBO Max wants to make a big splash in the world of humor. But the streamer's attempts to recreate the outlandish charms of Waititi's signature comedy What We Do In The Shadows will only bear fruit if the new show applies a distinctive formula to set its oddballs into action. An adventurous, frisky storyline seems fitting for Our Flag Means Death as pirates are best-suited for fast-paced, thrilling rides on the high seas, not for stagnated sitcoms. Currently, it's hard to imagine what the show's cast would look like, but given Waititi's involvement with the show, one can count on it to be filled with prolific stars.

Next: Every Upcoming Taika Waititi Movie

Source: Deadline