A new Prime Video movie headlined by Priyanka Chopra ("Quantico", "Varanasi") and actor Karl Urban ('The Boys" , Star Trek") is set for its streaming premiere. "The Bluff", a high-stakes pirate adventure drama where the duo plays lovers-turned-foes, will premiere on Prime Video on February 25.
According to details of the movie recently shared by Esquire magazine, the plot bears resemblance to Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films, albeit with a twist. Set in the late 1800s, Urban's character is not a villain like David Carradine’s in "Kill Bill", but rather an anti-hero.
Chopra plays Ercell Borden, an ex-pirate, and she researched real-life female pirates for her role. She looked into figures like Grace O'Malley, the 16th-century Irish "pirate queen," and Zheng Yi Sao, who led a fleet of ships in the South China Sea during the 1800s. Chopra admitted she was unaware that women had historically commanded their own ships in piracy, which was a far cry from the romanticised Disney version. "It was scary, bloody, and brutal," she shared in the Esquire interview.
Urban, who portrays Captain Connor, described his character as someone who struggles with rejection. "He’s a former member of the East India Trading Company, who helped build an empire, but once the empire had no more use for him, he became an outlaw," Urban explained. This personal transformation intrigued him.
"The Bluff" marks a return to the swashbuckling genre for Urban, recalling his role as the leader of the Riders of Rohan in "The Lord of the Rings". "Every kid wants to play pirates," he said, noting that the role was a fun opportunity to reconnect with his sword-fighting skills.
Directed by Frank E. Flowers, "The Bluff" is produced by the Russo brothers, along with Angela Russo-Otstot, Michael Disco, Priyanka Chopra, Cisely Saldana, and Mariel Saldana.