Hugh Laurie is headed to NBC. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the House M.D. star is near a deal to star in a pirate drama for the network from Luther creator Neil Cross. If all goes well, Laurie will portray the pirate Blackbeard in the series, which is based off of Colin Woodward's book, The Republic of the Pirates.
Set to consist of 10 episodes, the show will follow Blackbeard - whose real name was Edward Teach - in the year 1715 as he "reigns over a rogue nation of thieves, outlaws and miscreant sailors" on the Bahamian island of New Providence, the first functioning democracy in the Americas. As the island poses a threat to international commerce, a undercover assassin is sent to the island to kill Blackbeard, but fails because he decides he likes the pirate way of life. Well, they do say if you want something done, don't be lazy and hire a maverick assassin!
The series is being written by Cross, along with The Kite Runner producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, as well as Three Rivers executive producer Ted Gold.
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[via The Hollywood Reporter]
