Karl Urban and Priyanka Chopra Jonas Reveal Their Genre Inspirations Behind The Bluff’s R-Rated Pirates Adventure

The Bluff Brings a Bold New Vision to Pirate Cinema

A star-powered cast has set sail into the treacherous waters of the pirate genre with The Bluff, an unapologetically R-rated action-adventure streaming on Prime Video. Set in the Cayman Islands, this cinematic voyage anchors its story in a world far grittier and more visceral than its blockbuster pirate predecessors, blending hand-to-hand combat and historical authenticity with unforgettable performances from Karl Urban and Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

Prime Video’s New Pirate Era: More Than Just a Caribbean Reboot

Ignoring the shadows of previous swashbuckling franchises, The Bluff leans into a darker, more intimate narrative. Priyanka Chopra Jonas takes the helm as Ercell, a woman fighting to protect her family, while Karl Urban commands the screen as Captain Connor, a ruthless figure with a haunting backstory. The ensemble boasts familiar faces from genre TV and cinema — including Ismael Cruz Córdova, Safia Oakley-Green, Vedanten Naidoo, Temuera Morrison, and Zack Morris — creating a vibrant tapestry of outlaws and legends.

Returning to collaborate with the Russo brothers after their work on the Prime Video hit Citadel, Chopra Jonas not only leads the cast but also produces, infusing the film with layers of personal and creative ambition. The result is a pirate epic inspired by action icons and classic adventure, but grounded in current filmmaking boldness.

Genre Inspirations: Lara Croft, Harrison Ford, and Action Archetypes

Chopra Jonas channels childhood dreams shaped by Lara Croft — specifically Angelina Jolie’s intensely confident and capable rogue — claiming this was a chance to finally embody one of her formative cinematic idols. ’She was formidable, cool…confident and had a sense of self, the most attractive thing in a hero,‘ she notes, underlining Ercell’s balance of ferocity and humanity.

Reflecting on her own experiences as a new mother, Chopra Jonas poured a raw maternal instinct into Ercell — ‘I would rip someone in half if they threatened my family’ — providing a refreshing, personal perspective to a traditionally male-dominated narrative. She’s candid about the rarity of authentic female pirates in major cinema (noting, ‘maybe five women have had the opportunity’), making her journey as both lead and producer resonate even deeper.

Karl Urban, meanwhile, drew from a well of genre greats: Harrison Ford’s swashbuckling Han Solo and Indiana Jones, New Zealand legends like Sam Neill and Temuera Morrison, and the trailblazing courage of Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley in the Alien series. This blend produces a Captain Connor who is both menacing and complex — an antagonist shaped by betrayal, vengeance, and a broken quest for freedom, which layers every conflict with the pain of a tragic love story at its core.

On-Set Keepsakes and Production Secrets

The Bluff’s dedication to historically grounded production design enticed its stars to eye some memorable props. Chopra Jonas confides she momentarily “borrowed” a gold bar from the treasure chest before nerves got the better of her, returning it the next day. The piece she did keep? The custom bust armorplate Ercell wears in the climactic third act — a testament to deep craft, detailed authenticity, and three months of artisanal work that Jonas proudly intended to wear to the premiere and share with the world.

Karl Urban harbored similar hopes for a memento: the signature captain’s jacket that defined Connor’s silhouette. While he didn’t smuggle it home, he admits to being ‘gutted’ over it, hoping he might spot it again at the film’s debut.

Fresh Faces, Classic Influences: Why The Bluff Resonates Now

The Bluff impressively synthesizes its influences — drawing on both the gritty choreography of John Wick (with nods to 87North) and the mythic adventure of beloved genre icons — while making space for a new kind of hero and antihero. Chopra Jonas’s vision for Ercell as a rare, multidimensional pirate matriarch, and Urban’s meticulously layered antagonist, signal that the pirate adventure has found a new voice for today’s streaming audience. It’s not just a tribute; it’s a bold expansion of the genre canvas — one that invites fans of high-octane action, meticulous world-building, and fearless leads to discover uncharted cinematic waters.