Black Sails, Starz’s new pirate series produced by Transformers director Michael Bay, has earned a second season even though season one doesn’t start until January.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the network announced during its Television Critics Association Press Tour panel Friday that the show has earned a second season already, just days after the pilot was screened at Comic-Con. The first season starts in January and the cast and crew will have until November 2014 to begin work on a second season of 10 episodes.

The first season of eight episodes finds Toby Stephens as Captain Flint and follows his adventures two years before Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island begins. Luke Arnold co-stars as the fast-talking young Long John Silver. It was created by Jericho’s Jonathan Steinberg with Robert Levine.

Fans got an early taste of the pilot at Comic-Con, reports The Associated Press. Actors Zach McGowan, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Mark Ryan and Hakeem Kae-Kazim attended the screening.

“The hope was to suck the truth out of everything we know that happened and turn it into something that felt real,” Steinberg said at the event. “What became clear to us very quickly is a pirate ship is the exact opposite of what you think it is. It's a mob. There's no adventure to being a guy who has to figure out how to corral a mob.”

Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said at the TVCA panel that they were pleased with the fan reaction from Comic-Con and praised the hard work of the cast and crew.

TheWrap reports that Starz also said it will air the BBC miniseries Dancing on the Edge.

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