HBO Max Orders Taika Waititi Pirate Comedy Series ‘Our Flag Means Death’

After Universal became the first studio to drop one of their 2020 releases on VOD first with “Trolls World Tour,” and after Disney did the same with “Mulan” and “Artemis Fowl” it is now Warner Bros.‘s turn to drop one of their fall releases straight to a streaming service. This time it is Robert Zemeckis‘ remake of Roald Dahl‘s “The Witches” that will skip theaters and head to the studios’ own streaming service HBO Max right in time for Halloween.

Rebecca Rubin News Editor, OnlineRober Zemeckis’ adaptation of “The Witches” starring Anne Hathaway is landing on HBO Max just in time for Halloween.The Warner Bros. fantasy comedy will debut on the subscription streaming service, owned by parent company WarnerMedia, on Oct.

Though the original film is 70 years old, Akira Kurosawa’s “Rashomon” remains one of the most influential films ever to be released. To this day, you still hear descriptions of new films and TV projects as “Rashomon”-esque, as the style used to tell the mystery at the heart of the film has inspired so many copycats.

Carrie Underwood is to appear in her own musical Christmas special, airing on the HBO Max streaming service.The seven-time Grammy winner will perform songs from her first-ever full-length Christmas album, My Gift, alongside a live orchestra and choir, performing holiday favorites and new original material.The show will be produced by Tom Hanks and production partner Gary Goetzman for their Playtone company.In a press release announcing the special, Carrie says: “The journey of writing and

in development since 2018, is not a direct adaptation of the film, but retains the basic premise and distinctive plot device — an unraveling mystery seen through multiple characters’ competing perspectives — of the original film.Per HBO Max, “Each episode will present the perceived truth of an individual character – putting each, in turn, at the center of the story and telling the events surrounding the murder from their unique, self-serving point of view.”Also Read: 'Rashomon' Series Adaptation

  «Roberto and Lindsay are expanding the universe with more murder, mysteries, and scandal, and we can’t wait,» added Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max.The original — created and developed by King and based on the book series of the same name by Shepard — debuted in 2010 and aired for six seasons before coming to an end in June 2017.

Back in the fall, it was reported that Antonio Campos was maybe going to develop a limited series based on “The Staircase” docuseries, starring none other than Harrison Ford. Of course, this was in November 2019, before the world started to burn and our lives were forever altered by a global pandemic and incompetent leadership.

James Gunn’s debut in the world of DC superhero filmmaking has yet to formally kick off, as “The Suicide Squad” isn’t going to be released until next August, but that doesn’t mean Warner Bros. isn’t psyched about what the filmmaker has been cooking up.

Peter White Television EditorHBO Max has called in the Peacemaker – ordering a TV spin-off of James Gunn’s upcoming Suicide Squad movie starring John Cena.The streamer has handed Peacemaker an eight-episode straight-to-series order for its first season with The Suicide Squad director writing all episodes and directing a number of them.The show will explore the origins of the character that Cena plays in the 2021 movie.It marks the latest major DC Comics original on HBO Max and comes after the

was previously announced that creator Aaron Sorkin, 59, and executive producer Thomas Schlamme, 70, will film the reunion in October — following coronavirus production guidelines — at LA’s Orpheum Theatre. In a statement, HBO Max said the event will be held to “raise awareness for and support the vital mission of” When We All Vote, a nonprofit co-chaired by Obama.

Peter White Television EditorHugh Davidson, who has worked on shows including Mike Tyson Mysteries, Robot Chicken and Nobodies, has closed an overall deal with Warner Bros Animation and scored a presentation order at HBO Max.Davidson, showrunner of the animated show featuring the famous boxer that recently ended on Adult Swim, is working on Keeping Up with the Joneses for the streamer.The show, which has received a presentation order, follows an aging matriarch scrambles to keep up appearances

AT&T CEO John Stankey says the telecom and media conglomerate is using HBO Max and its fast-growing streaming strategy to weather the novel coronavirus pandemic. "Had we not done that and been in this situation, I feel we'd be real flat-footed," Stankey told the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference during a virtual appearance on Tuesday as he discussed the recent HBO Max launch.

If you’re prone to anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed, don’t go peeking at the schedule for filmmaker Taika Waititi.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHBO Max has given a series order to the period comedy “Our Flag Means Death,” Variety has learned.The series hails from writer, showrunner, and executive producer David Jenkins. Taika Waititi will also executive produce and direct the pilot.

Denise Petski Senior Managing EditorHBO Max has given a series order to period comedy Our Flag Means Death, from Oscar winner Taika Waititi (What We Do In The Shadows, Jojo Rabbit), writer David Jenkins (People of Earth) and Garrett Basch (The Night Of, What We Do in the Shadows).Created by Jenkins, who also serves as showrunner, Our Flag Means Death is loosely based on the true adventures of Stede Bonnet, a pampered aristocrat who abandoned his life of privilege to become a pirate.Waititi will

Dade Hayes Finance EditorAT&T CEO John Stankey says he “couldn’t be more pleased” with the progress of HBO Max since it launched in May.Appearing online Tuesday at the annual Goldman Sachs Communacopia conference, Stankey acknowledged the initial numbers are not sky-high.

Ellen DeGeneres hosts? Lisa Kudrow teased whether the comedian would be helming the upcoming Friends reunion special on HBO Max during a discussion with Andy Cohen.The Watch What Happens Live host, 52, asked Kudrow, 57, if fans can expect “weave-pulling” or a “more collegial” reunion show from the Friends cast, to which Kudrow laughed before spilling a few details about the special.“Oh my god that’s so funny,” the Web Therapy actress said during the Monday, September 14, episode of SiriusXM’s

Dade Hayes Finance EditorIn a keynote session Monday at NATPE’s Streaming Plus virtual conference, WarnerMedia’s Michael Quigley pushed back on the perception that HBO Max has been a bit light on original content.“There was some chatter about ‘only’ six originals at launch,” the EVP of content acquisitions said. “I think what’s been lost is that since that time, we’ve steadily introduced new shows, new movies, new content to the platform over the course of the summer.

Will Smith and Janet Hubert, who played Aunt Viv for three seasons of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, have finally made amends—no red table talk required. The former co-stars, who hadn't been photographed together in approximately 27 years, reunited on the 30th anniversary of their hit sitcom.

Dino-Ray Ramos Associate Editor/ReporterDC’s strangest group of heroes are coming back! HBO Max has ordered a third season of Doom Patrol where we will get to see the most unique heroes in the DC Universe return and save the world.