The powers that be at TNT have announced that they’re working on a reboot of horror anthology Tales From The Crypt. What’s more, M. Night Shymalan has been tapped as showrunner.
“This is a new genre for us in our series efforts and a great chance to partner with M. Night Shyamalan,” Sarah Aubrey, Executive VP of original programming at TNT, said on the partnership. “[His] blockbuster hit The Visit reminded movie audiences and critics this past summer that he truly is a master of horror.”
A network not known for its horror, Tales From The Crypt will be part of a new two-hour horror block. The second half of that block is as-yet-unconfirmed.
“This two-hour horror block demonstrates not only TNT’s commitment to working with today’s top talents, but also our strategy to stand out in today’s marketplace by challenging the conventional rules of programming and scheduling,” Aubrey added.
Considering the runaway success of American Horror Story and the current masses of great story-telling on television, a show like Tales From The Crypt could really thrive. For those not quite old enough to remember it, Tales was an anthology series based on a comic where each episode was a new, unique horror short story. It was presented by a narrator who was a zombie-like gentleman known as the Crypt Keeper and ran through-out the ’90s until 1996. The series has a large cult following for the way it presented a distinct brand of campy, gory, slightly ridiculous story-telling – something a film-maker like M. Night Shymalan could do great things with.
Shyamalan expressed real enthusiasm for the series, stating “To be part of such a beloved brand like Tales From The Crypt, something I grew up watching, and to also have the chance to push the boundaries of genre television as a whole, is an inspiring opportunity that I can’t wait to dive into.”
The series is expected to be air as part of the Autumn TV lineup.
