Starz has greenlit its top original series, Black Sails, for a third season.

The pick-up, announced on Oct. 11 at New York Comic Con, comes on the boots of Starz' announcement that the second season of the prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic Treasure Island will commence on Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).

It also trails the premium network's renewal of Survivor's Remorse, the basketball comedy executive-produced by LeBron James and Tom Carsey.

Black Sails notched a Starz viewership record for the opening weekend of an original series last January. More importantly, its maiden-season voyage averaged 5.3 million viewers per episode across platforms and encores. The show is distributed in about 130 countries and territories worldwide.  

The series is created by Jonathan Steinberg (Jericho, Human Target) and Robert Levine (Touch) and executive-produced by Michael Bay (Transformers, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor) and his Platinum Dunes partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form, producers on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Purge.

“The incredible world that Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine have created continues to unfold in season two.  Flint’s journey is riveting, and around him, Jon and Robert have woven an intricate web of conflict, betrayal, and redemption for the other characters that we believe will keep fans of the show coming back for more,” said Carmi Zlotnik, managing director of Starz. “We think that season three will bring even more of the drama and lore that has made it a hit both in the U.S. and internationally.”

Season two begins where the tale left off—The Walrus crew is stranded, with an army of Spanish soldiers standing between them and the precious Urca gold. And with their crimes against their brethren no longer a secret, Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and Long John Silver (Luke Arnold) must join forces in a desperate bid for survival.

Meanwhile, Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New) struggles to maintain her grip on Nassau, as a new breed of pirate arrives in the form of Ned Low (Tadgh Murphy), a man for whom violence isn’t just a tool … it’s a pastime. As blood is spilled, and tensions mount, Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) must decide which he values more: Eleanor’s life, or the respect of his men.

TNT’s new drama The Last Ship cruised to a strong start with the Nielsens on Sunday night, drawing 5.3 million viewers for its 9 p.m. premiere.

That audience now stands as this year’s top cable debut, easily eclipsing the mark set by another TNT launch with Murder in the First. Adding in another 2.1 million for its 11 p.m. encore, the Michael Bay-produced, pandemic virus drama pulled in 7.4 million viewers on its maiden night, based on Nielsen live+ same-day data.

Among key demos, Last Ship drew 1.7 million adults 25 to 54 and 1.5 million adults 18 to 49 for its premiere, before tacking on another 900,000 and 800,000 with the respective groups, via its encore airing.

Despite leading out of Last Ship, Falling Skies fell in its fourth-season bow to 3.7 million total viewers at 10 p.m., down 12% from last summer’s two-hour premiere. With a midnight replay, Falling Skies notched 4.2 million total viewers.

In TNT’s upcoming drama The Last Ship, an airborne pandemic virus threatens the world and the crew of a U.S. Navy destroyer finds that gasmasks are the survival accessory of choice.

Tying into the storyline, the network is opening an immersive art experience in the Big Apple featuring gas mask fashion from up-and-coming and influential artists who re-imagine the post-apocalyptic. 

TNT is also going under underground with Purell promotion in New York to create buzz for the Michael Bay-action series.

Beginning today (June 16), the network is taking over Manhattan’s Grand Central subway station with billboards that have Purell dispensers attached.

Featuring such copy as “The Virus isn’t the only enemy,” “80% of the world is dead” “and Whatever you do, don’t breathe,” the dispenser-equipped billboards will line corridors in multiple locations in the bustling subterranean hub. From these sanitation stations of sorts, passers-by can clean their hands with Purell.

“People are very interested in the notion of pandemic. The Last Ship is not a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by zombies or aliens,” Tricia Melton, senior vice president of entertainment marketing and branding for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies, said of the show premiering on June 22 at 9 p.m.. “The feedback from our research company is that people feel that this is realistic, that it will play on their fears and hopes for survival.”

As to Purell’s marketing position with the campaign, Melton noted: “Sanitize and survive. Grand Central is certainly a crowded place.”

TNT also will have branded Last Ship street teams in place to hand out Purell samples on June 20-21.

TNT and the Gojo Industries brand worked with marketing agency mono on the Grand Central activation.

Meanwhile, "Survival is an Art: The Last Ship Experience" will feature a gas mark fashion show on June 20 at Dia 545 at 545 West 22nd Street, with work from German designer Irene Luft, whom Melton said made a splash at last year's Fashion Week. Series stars Eric Dane and Rhona Mitra are expected to be on hand that night.

The pop-up gallery will also showcase exhibits from Gary Lockwood, the Bob Basset Workshop, Tom Banwell, Nathan Vincent, Singer Blake, Wren Britton and Howie Katz.

“An entire culture has emerged around the edge of the world,” said Melton, who also believes the gallery will set sail with a significant audience for The Last Ship.  “We’re looking for the series to appeal to women, as well as men.”

TNT worked with entertainment branding agency loyalkaspar in establishing  the Gas Mask Fashion Show and Exhibit.