Greengrass Sailing the High Seas with 'Blackbeard'?

Back in May, it was reported that we'd get another big time pirate movie. Maybe it wouldn't do a gazillion dollars in business like Pirates of the Caribbean, but at least Blackbeard wouldn't be starting from scratch. People know the name, if not the legend. Blackbeard was Edward Teach, a former British naval officer. After tensions with the Spanish subdued, Britain slowly began reducing its navy. Teach was one of many who felt betrayed by this and turned to piracy to not only make a living but also exact some revenge and embarrass the crown at the same time. That story would play into the new movie, and according to Mania, writer David Franzoni will bake into that synopsis some made-up bit about the British hiring one of Blackbeard's proteges to track him down. Sounds interesting if they keep the betrayal in check. Rather than just having a one-dimensional pirate terrorizing the seas, if he's given a reason, there's some potential. Adding to that potential is the new assertion by Mania that Universal, also heading to the seas with a woefully inept Moby Dick reimagination, wants Bourne director Paul Greengrass at the helm. This project seems a little lightweight for Greengrass, let's be honest. But maybe he's game for something new. I have no doubt he could pull it off and I'm confident he'd make sure this project had a lot more sustainability from the characters out rather than from the cannonballs in. It's still just a swirling rumor at this stage, but if we're not just making a pirate movie because we think it can make a ton of money, and if we're making it to take the story seriously, then Greengrass is your guy.