NBC Sets Airdate for Crossbones TV Series ...Again!

[Thagarr]

Just a quick one, a couple of years ago I posted an article on NBC's announcement that they were beginning production on a new TV series called Crossbones. It looks like after a couple of years of delays and cast changes, they have finally set a premier date of Friday, May 30'th 2014. Crossbones was originally announced to be based on Colin Woodard's book The Republic of Pirates, which is set during the Golden Age and follows the adventures of legendary pirates Blackbeard, Black Sam Bellamy, and Charles Vane.

Late in 2012, rumors were circulating that Hugh Laurie would be playing Blackbeard, those turned to to be just that, rumors. Crossbones will star John Malkovich as Blackbeard, an intersting casting to say the least. I am really curious to see this portrayal. According to NBC official web page :

It's 1715 on the Bahamian island of Santa Campana, the first functioning democracy in the Americas, where the diabolical pirate Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard (John Malkovich), reigns over a rogue nation of thieves, outlaws and miscreant sailors. Part shantytown and part marauder's paradise, this is a place like no other on Earth - and a mounting threat to international commerce.

Teach/Blackbeard has set his sights on the world's first longitude chronometer, a device that will change society, sea-trade and global business. In a massive attack on an English vessel, Blackbeard attempts to steal the device; however, Tom Lowe, an English spy working undercover as the ship's surgeon, destroys the chronometer before it can fall into his hands. Taken as prisoner to Santa Campana Island, Lowe must find a way to reassemble the precious device, all while trying to unfold Blackbeard's plan... a plan that includes a threat to the English throne even worse than pirates.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Very interesting! How would that compare to Black Sails, I wonder?
I still have to watch that series; only seen the first episode so far. Not bad, not bad.

 

[Thagarr]

I am really hoping they stay true to the book, which I have not yet read. Knowing Hollywood though, I seriously doubt it!

 

[Talisman]

Colin Woodard's book The Republic of Pirates,

This book is also supposed to have been used to provide the piratical background for - Assassins Creed IV - Black Flag.

 

[SuperChango]

With AC4 BF, Black Sails and this, Hearts of Oak should rise a lot of attention.. eventually at least..

 

[theriskyman]

At least, I made to see two ships in the bay of the old US Naval Base Roosevelt Roads, in Puerto Rico, where they were filming this series. BTW, Johnny Depp stayed in that old naval base for 1 month filming the next sequel of Pirates of the Caribbean...that base was abandoned by the US Navy in 2003.

 

[Thagarr]

I just ran across THIS interview with John Malkovich on Yahoo, and it has me a bit concerned.

For his part, Malkovich admits he's never seen any of the "Pirates" movies, or any other Blackbeards on screen. "There actually isn't all that much known about him. They think he came from Bristol, or somewhere around there, and was sailing on boats very, very young. But, of course, he died in his 30s, and our story sort of says actually that wasn't true. He went on to create his own country and continue his pirate activities."

So what kind of accent does John Malkovich have when playing someone in the islands who came from England? "It's a kind of British with a little tiny sort of Caribbean sound thrown in."

With his varied career, could this be his most accessible or most mainstream project to date? "Honestly, when I first read it I just thought, 'My goodness, this is awfully esoteric.' Not so much for television, but I thought maybe it was too esoteric for the public, because it's very cleverly written and I think, to a great extent, very cleverly plotted. The good thing about this is the plots are not too stretched, and Neil concentrates on the behavior and the relationships."

Blackbeard creates his own country?? Unfortunately, it appears Hollywood has struck yet again!