Steve Coogan to star as Blackbeard

Steve Coogan is set to star as pirate Blackbeard in a new family comedy – after Robin Williams dropped out of the role.

Filming on the movie begins in Des Moines, Iowa, in September.

Producer Steven Brown told the local Register newspaper: ‘We don’t have Robin Williams in the movie and we never did.

‘He was being considered early on but he never committed to the movie. Then he had open heart surgery and that pretty much put the kibosh on going with him because he didn’t have good health.’

The story is about two brothers who uncover a mystical pirate and bring him to the modern world.

Published: 22 Jul 2009