WIRE Buzz: Taika Waititi pirate comedy heads to HBO Max; Moonbase 8 trailer; Primal teaser

Taika Waititi made the world of vampires funny with What We Do in the Shadows. Now he's signed onto another project attempting to make another broad and fantastic (though less bloodsucking) world humorous — and he's yo-ho-hoping to repeat his success. HBO Max has given a series order to the pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death and Waititi is on board to executive produce and helm the pilot.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series from showrunner David Jenkins (People of Earth) loosely adapts the life and adventures of fancy rich noble Stede Bonnet, who gives up luxury for a life as a swashbuckler. His antics will hilariously be translated by Jenkins and Waititi as soon as the latter is finished with production on Thor: Love and Thunder.

The fish-out-of-water (and onto a pirate ship) story is one that fits into Waititi's filmography well and one that's full of potential for his signature bits of everyman deadpan. 

“A series concept like this jumps off the page and you can instantly envision every moment,” Sarah Aubrey, head of originals at HBO Max, said. “David and Taika’s unique take on Bonnet’s rollicking misadventures on the high seas, are sure to thrill and delight audiences everywhere.”

No timeline or episode count for the series has yet been set.

Next, a day after teasing fans with a near-silent trailer of slapstick and silliness, Moonbase 8 is bringing fans to the Arizonian Moon Base Simulator in full force with new footage. The Showtime series sets Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, and John C. Reilly as Moon-hopeful astronauts undergoing training for a possible mission. Things, of course, go very poorly.

Take a look:

Botched countdowns and depressed NASA employees are the least of Moonbase 8's problems. The series looks as dry as the Arizona desert, with some deft comedic hands piloting the craft. And it'll need to stick the (moon) landing if it wants to stand out from the glut of space shows that have recently hit TV — but with this goofy trio, it's sure to at least give Space Force a run for its money.

The series, co-created by its stars and series director Jonathan Krisel, hits Showtime on Nov. 8.

Finally, a silent dinosuar-meets-caveman story is getting some new episodes at Adult Swim. Primal, the hit miniseries from beloved animator Genndy Tartakovsky, is getting five new episodes ahead of its second season renewal. Now it's got some footage to tease out what its nameless pair will have to face in the prehistoric wilderness.

Take a look:

With mutated dinosaurs (and herbivores at that!) adding to threats like magical shamans and run-of-the-mill predators, Primal looks to up the creative and monstrous ante when its first season's back half hits the air. Expect gorgeous animation, heart-pumping music, and visual storytelling unlike anything else on TV.

Primal returns to Adult Swim on Oct. 4.