John Malkovich to Star in NBC Pirate Series ‘Crossbones’ as Infamous Blackbeard

Remember how TV used to be nothing more than a desperate refuge for washed-up former big-time Hollywood actors? Oh, how far we’ve come! And not just when talking about cable. Even NBC can now appeal to double Oscar-nominated greats like John Malkovich.

That’s right, the 59 year-old star of “Dangerous Liaisons,” “Being John Malkovich,” “Burn After Reading” and dozens of other blockbusters and/or critically acclaimed films has signed up to appear in an upcoming period pirate drama called Crossbones.

Wait, what, a pirate drama on network TV?! That sounds… bizarre. And yet strangely intriguing. The series has an initial 10 episode order, so it’s not your run-of-the-mill clichéd broadcasting show, and it tells the tale of the mythical Blackbeard, who “ruled over the pirates, thieves and ne’er-do-wells on the Bahamian island of New Providence in the early 1700s”.

Malkovich will of course play Blackbeard (or Edward Teach), but interestingly the role was turned down by Hugh Laurie before being offered to him. The script will be penned by Neil Cross (Luther, “Mama”) after Colin Woodard’s “The Republic of Pirates” book. Cross is also on board to executive produce alongside Ted Gold, Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald.

No air dates have been announced for the show, but we’re guessing it’ll not debut by next fall at the earliest.

Via [Hollywood Reporter]