Norman Bates. Hannibal Lecter. Count Dracula. The Ghostface Killer. Pinhead. The Exorcist. They all have something in common. After the year 2003, the year of the well known Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot, there has been a long chain of reboots of horror classics such as Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, Friday The 13th, Halloween II, When A Stranger Calls and so fourth. But after so many silver screen re-imaginings, studios have decided to bring several of their characters to home entertainment.
Although a Hellraiser reboot is in the works (suffering production problems; likely to be cancelled), RHI Entertainment, who brought you the Clive Barker original, Hellraiser (based on his novella, The Hellbound Heart) and the sequel, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, are bringing you a tv show of the same name. After last years big disappointment, Revelations, hopefully a Television series will have greater reception from fans than the last five direct-to-video sequels.
Pass out the fava beans because Hannibal Lecter is coming to television. Twice at once, as a matter of fact. In the 1981 novel, Red Dragon, by author Thomas Harris, cannibalistic madman, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, was introduced for the very first time. In 1988, Thomas Harris wrote the sequel, The Silence Of The Lambs. In 1991, MGM and Orion Pictures turned The Silence Of The Lambs into a blockbuster horror film, winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, as well as turning Lecter into an American icon. After the release of the 1999 Thomas Harris sequel novel, Hannibal, MGM returned to turn it into a film along with Universal Pictures, owned by NBC Universal. In 2001, Hannibal out-grossed Silence. The following year, Universal released a film adaptation of Red Dragon (reboot of Manhunter, a failed attempt in 1986 to bring the book to life) as a prequel to Silence and Hannibal. Now, NBC Universal, owners of Universal Pictures, are planning on bringing Hannibal Lecter to Television, on their TV channel, NBC. Like the 2001 film, the series will be titled Hannibal. The series will be about Lecters life before Red Dragon (and after Hannibal Rising, the 2007 film about Lecters origin). But MGM is making a comeback. MGM is producing a series to rival Hannibal titled Clarice which describes the life of Clarice Starling (the protagonist of The Silence Of The Lambs and Hannibal) after the events of Silence but before Hannibal. Clarice will be aired on MGMs channel, Lifetime.
In 1960, the world was amazed at Alfred Hitchcock's amazing work, Psycho. In 1983 a sequel hit titled, Psycho II. In 1986, Psycho III hit. In 1987, a Television show titled Bates Motel was cancelled. Only the pilot was made. In 1990, a fourth film was released as a prequel about Norman Bates' origin told by present day Norman in flashback. It was called Psycho IV: The Beginning. Once again a Psycho series is in production. It even shares the same name as the cancelled series: Bates Motel. It is in development by A&E.
Hannibal Lecter isn't the only maneater NBC is developing for television. With two new films soon to be released, Dracula 3D and Saint Dracula, the Prince Of Darkness is also coming to an even smaller screen near you. The series will be inspired mainly by The Vampire Diaries and True Blood, as well as the 30s classic. It is taking the script of the 1931 original and making it a series.
What's your favorite scary movie? Even after the bad reception of Scream 4, MTV is working on a Scream TV series (Sorry, Sidney). It is unclear whether Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson will be involved or not.
Following the release of the 1971 horror novel, The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty. The novel was followed by a movie adaptation, two sequels, and then two prequels. Now The Exorcist is coming to your home screens. The channel is unknown.
So could horror shows become as profitable as horror reboots? Could they become as propular? Will they work as television friendly series? Only time will tell.