One of the more excellent announcements to have coincided with the recent Television Critics Association press tour was Showtime‘s release about its upcoming Victorian horror series Penny Dreadful. Don’t let the reference to “Victorian” throw you off; although it’s set in those times, with characters from novels written at that time (including Frankenstein, The Portrait of Dorian Gray, and Dracula), it is also said to be a “psychosexual” series.
The upcoming series is created, written, and executive produced by John Logan and executive produced by Sam Mendes, the two who brought us Skyfall. Set in Victorian London. Classic monsters. Psychosexual. Okay, we’re in.
Here’s the press release:
LOS ANGELES, CA – Some of literature’s most iconic figures will step into the light on SHOWTIME in PENNY DREADFUL, a psychosexual horror series created, written and executive produced by three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan (Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator) and executive produced by Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) and Neal Street’s Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road, Call The Midwife), it was announced today by David Nevins, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks. PENNY DREADFUL will begin production in London in the second half of 2013.
In PENNY DREADFUL, some of literature’s most famously terrifying characters – including Dr. Frankenstein and his creature, Dorian Gray and iconic figures from the novel Dracula – become embroiled in Victorian London. The series weaves together these classic horror origin stories as the characters grapple with their monstrous alienation. This project marks Logan and Mendes’ second major collaboration, following Skyfall, their recent critically-acclaimed and box office record-breaking James Bond film, which Mendes directed and Logan co-wrote; and their first ever collaboration for television. The project will be produced by Mendes’ production company Neal Street Productions.
“John Logan and Sam Mendes are two of the great storytellers of our time,” said Nevins. ”The visual spectacle combined with the psychological insight in their reimagining of these iconic literary characters seems totally mesmerizing to me. This promises to be a wholly original television show.”
Oh yeah, we’re definitely in. We’ll keep you posted.
