First announced last summer, NBC’s upcoming pirate adventure series “Crossbones” has found its Captain Blackbeard in John Malkovich.
Arriving from “Luther” creator Neil Cross and film producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, “Crossbones” takes place in 1715 on the Bahamian island of New Providence, the first functioning democracy in the Americas. There, the diabolical pirate Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard, reigns over a rogue nation of thieves, outlaws and miscreant sailors. Part shantytown, part marauder’s paradise, this is a place like no other on earth – and a mounting threat to international commerce.
To gain control of this fearsome society, Tom Lowe, a highly skilled undercover assassin, is sent to the pirates’ haven to take down the brilliant and charismatic Blackbeard. But the closer Lowe gets, the more he finds that his quest is not so simple. Lowe can’t help but admire the political ideals of Blackbeard, whose thirst for knowledge knows no bounds – and no law. But Lowe is not the only danger to Blackbeard’s rule. He is a man with many villainous rivals and one great weakness – a passionately driven woman whom he cannot deny.
Malkovich was recently on the big screen in Jonathan Levine’s Warm Bodies. He can next be seen reprising his role as Marvin Boggs in the upcoming RED 2.
Parkes and MacDonald serve as executive producers. Cross will write and also executive-produce the series. Ted Gold (“Three Rivers”) also is an executive producer. The series will be produced by Parkes/MacDonald Productions; Georgeville Television (GVTV), Reliance Entertainment/Motion Picture Capital’s new TV Studio; and Universal Television.
