Michael Bay Developing Pirate Series for Starz - BLACK SAILS

Starz has officially greenlit a new Pirate TV series being produced by Michael Bay called Black Sails. Pirates are a big thing right now in the world of TV. I believe this is the fourth Pirate TV production going into development. NBC has ordered up a series called  Republic of Pirates, which is "set during the 10-year “Golden Age of Piracy” from 1715 to 1725, it follows some of the world’s most notorious pirates as they forge their own rogue nation, called New Providence, which became the first democracy in the Americas." Graham King and Gale Anne Hurd are producing another one called Port Royal for FX Prods. Then Ridley and Tony Scott are developing a series called Pyrates, which will be a 10- to 13-episode event-type limited series at Fox.

Bay's series will get an eight episode first season and it "centers on the tales of Captain Flint and his men, and takes place twenty years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic Treasure Island." Here's the synopsis...

Flint, the most brilliant and most feared pirate captain of his day, takes on a fast-talking young addition to his crew who goes by the name John Silver. Threatened with extinction on all sides, they fight for the survival of New Providence Island, the most notorious criminal haven of its day – a debauched paradise teeming with pirates, prostitutes, thieves and fortune seekers, a place defined by both its enlightened ideals and its stunning brutality. 

Sounds like it could turn out being pretty awesome! This could end up being one of the better series as Starz tends to put a little more production value into their programs, and they can take it can take it farther when it comes to violent content.

The series is expected to air sometime in 2014. What do you think of all these pirate series being made, and which one are you most excited about seeing?

Here's some more info from the press release:

Starz Chief Executive Officer Chris Albrecht today announced the straight-to-series greenlight of "Black Sails" (working title) from executive producer Michael Bay. The new Starz Original series is expected to air in 2014. The eight-episode first season of the pirate adventure centers on the tales of Captain Flint and his men, and takes place twenty years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic "Treasure Island." 

"Starz is excited to be working with a visionary like Michael,'" said Albrecht. "Along with the high-octane action that is a hallmark of a Michael Bay production, it has the elements that Starz originals are striving to bring to the premium landscape: epic, larger than life, cinematic storytelling. The series is also a property we believe will appeal to the global content marketplace with broadcasters around the world."

"I'm excited to branch out into television," says Michael Bay, the record-breaking director/producer of such big screen hits as "Transformers" and Bad Boys, "especially doing a long-form series for Starz, a network known for supporting cutting edge programming."

Following the model of the "Spartacus" franchise and "Magic City," Starz will retain all domestic and international rights to the dramatic series, including television, home video, and digital.

"Black Sails" will be executive produced by Michael Bay and his Platinum Dunes partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form. The series is created by showrunner and executive producer Jon Steinberg (creator "Jericho," "Human Target") and co-executive producer Robert Levine ("Touch").


The production is set to shoot at Cape Town Studios in Cape Town, South Africa later this year.

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