The ‘Black Sails’ spin-off isn’t off the cards forever, says series creator Jonathan E. Steinberg!
‘Black Sails’ was initially presented as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel “Treasure Island”. It was merely a gimmick to use the book’s characters but the cast members owned their roles and made the show truly awesome. If only the ‘Black Sails’ spin-off continues its story!
Highlights —
- What happened at the end of ‘Black Sails’ Season 4?
- Does the finale warrant a ‘Black Sails’ spin-off?
- Creator Jon Steinberg addresses spin-off possibility
It’s an action-packed show full of characters you will surely root for, and the story has a purpose throughout. Each storyline and character exists for a reason and the pirate details paid attention to is applause-worthy.
As a viewer, you get a real sense of how dangerous the lives of pirates were, all thanks to ‘Black Sails’. The series premiered between 2014 and 2017, spanning four seasons and 38 episodes. It enjoys an 81% approval rate on the review-aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.
Fans were heartbroken when creators Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine announced that the fourth season would be the last. The reason behind the series ending was that the creative team felt it had reached a natural conclusion but fans hoped for more! Steinberg even called the ending a perfect high point for the series but was open to the idea for a ‘Black Sails’ spin-off.
What happened at the end of ‘Black Sails’ Season 4?
From the beginning itself, the show’s creators decided that ‘Black Sails’ would end close to the beginning of Treasure Island. It was, after all, a prequel series! The emotional series finale had a happy, complete ending for most of its characters. After a massive fight scene, the pirates won the battle against Woodes Rogers against all odds. It all started with Jack Rackham and his crew arriving at Skeleton Island.
They attempted to rescue survivors that might have been injured in Rogers’ ambush of Captain Flint and John Silver’s crew. Later, Jack, Flint and Silver were seen sailing behind archenemies Rogers and Eurydice in what became their final battle.
The Eurydice is seized, with Flint and Silver returning to Skeleton Island in the hopes to retrieve the treasure. Flint goes to Savannah, but Jack returns to Philadelphia where he talks to Marion Guthrie about her buying out Rogers’ debts. Finally, order is restored in Nassau and all is well.
Does the finale warrant a ‘Black Sails’ spin-off?
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but the answer is a resounding no. ‘Black Sails’, unlike many others, actually had a fulfilling ending, one that did justice to its story and its characters.

The finale tied up all loose ends while leaving the door open for a spin-off with Nassau, Flint and Thomas and even Jack’s crew. If the showrunners were to work on a Treasure Island sequel spin-off series, we’re certain fans would watch! Why not return to the world of pirates where there is more possibility for storytelling than one can imagine.
Creator Jon Steinberg addresses spin-off possibility
In an interview with “The Hollywood Reporter”,
Steinberg said, “I guess never say never always feels like the right answer. At the moment, I feel like we’re pretty happy with where it ended”.
He added, “The ending that we like is the sense that some of the people we care about survived this and they have a life after it, which I don’t necessarily think that the life they have after it is a part of this story. The process of making the show was pretty special and we’ll miss the cast and crew and the process of making it more and more the further away we get from it …”
“It was during season four when we felt like all the endings we hoped we would get to were starting to approach very quickly.”
The pirate ship sunk all our dreams surrounding the show’s fifth season, but there’s always hope! In the golden age of reunions and reboots, it’s only a matter of time before a ‘Black Sails’ spin-off is written!
Are you excited by the prospect of watching the ‘Black Sails’ spin-off come to life? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
