DreamWorks has hired scribe David Franzoni ("Amistad," "Gladiator") to pen a biopic of British buccaneer Edward Teach, better known as the legendary pirate Blackbeard reports the trades.

Blackbeard would plunder merchant ships, forcing them to allow his crew to board their ship. Despite his ferocious reputation, there are no verified accounts of him actually killing anyone - generally prevailing by fear alone.

Barry Josephson ("Enchanted") and Pat Croce are producing. Croce is a motivational speaker and former Philadelphia 76ers prexy/co-owner Pat Croce, who wrote "Pirate Soul," a book that chronicled the golden era of piracy, which spanned 1690-1730.