There is just over two months from the premiere of Showtime’s new horror show, ‘Penny Dreadful‘, and we’re finally getting a good look at some of the main characters themselves. Sure we’ve already seen the full length trailer for the series but that hasn’t really fleshed out who we’ll be seeing on screen quite yet. Today we get both a look and the character biographies for: Sir Malcolm Murray, Vanessa Ives, Ethan Chandler, Brona Croft, Sembene, Dr. Victor Frankenstein, and Dorian Gray.

First up we have Sir Malcolm Murray who is being played by Timothy Dalton (‘The Rocketeer‘, ‘Doctor Who‘, ‘Chuck‘)

A hardened African explorer on a deeply personal quest, Sir Malcolm has nonetheless paid a heavy price for his exciting career. Although his stately home is filled with marvelous souvenirs of his travels, it is devoid of family and loved ones. With Vanessa’s help, he is determined to right the wrongs of his past, but his toughest journey lies ahead.

Second we get a look at Vanessa Ives who is being played by Eva Green (‘Dark Shadows’‘Sin City: A Dame To Kill For ‘)

Poised, mysterious and utterly composed, Vanessa is a seductive and formidable beauty full of secrets and danger. She is keenly observant — clairvoyant even — as well as an expert medium. Her supernatural gifts are powerful and useful to those around her, particularly Sir Malcolm, but they are also a heavy burden. Her inner demons are very real to her and everyone around her, and they threaten to destroy her relationships, her sanity, and her very life.

Third we have a look at Ethan Chandler who is being taken on by someone I love seeing do horror, Josh Hartnett (‘Sin City‘, ’30 Days of Night’)

A charming American who finds himself trapped in the darkest corners of Victorian London, Ethan’s charm and brash ways are catnip to the ladies. When Sir Malcolm enlists him to help in a personal quest, Ethan meets Brona Croft, a beautiful local with a mysterious past. But behind Ethan’s bright eyes lurk dark secrets. He is running from something, and his troubling past threatens to overtake him at every turn.

Next up is Brona Croft who is being played by Billie Piper (‘Doctor Who‘, ‘Secret Diary of a Call Girl’)

Brona is a poor Irish immigrant to Victorian London trying to escape a dark and sordid past. The Gaelic meaning of her name is “sadness,” yet she remains lovely, spirited, and erotically alive. She forms a bond with Ethan Chandler, who will do anything for her.

Coming in fifth is Sembene, played by Danny Sapani (‘Misfits’, ‘Trance’)

Sembene is an African man with ritual face scarring who serves as Sir Malcolm’s sentry and confidant. He has an air of mystery about him and his heroic efforts will prove invaluable to Sir Malcolm in his personal quest.

Sixth is probably the best known name of the bunch, at least for his character, Dr. Victor Frankenstein who is being played by Harry Treadaway (‘Cockneys vs. Zombies’, ‘The Lone Ranger’)

More Romantic poet than surgeon, Dr. Frankenstein is a tender, gentle soul who is fascinated by the mysteries of life and death. He has dedicated himself to researching what makes something live, and has sacrificed everything for his scientific pursuit. But he is playing with fire, and his research pays off in shocking ways with devastating consequences.

Finally for this round we have the ever youthful Dorian Gray being played by Reeve Carney (‘Spread’, The Tempest’)

Dorian Gray is a fabulously wealthy young gentleman who is almost unnerving in his beauty. His skin seems to radiate a golden glow of intoxicating youth and promise. A recklessly abandoned aesthete, he has a devil-may-care attitude that borders on dangerous. Nothing seems to faze him, nor are any risks too great. In fact, he is unnaturally drawn to them.

I can’t wait to see how these characters come and stay together on screen. Have the latest shots and bios of these characters captured your attention for the show? Who are you most looking forward to seeing on screen?

Synopsis:

Some of literature’s most terrifying characters, including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray, and iconic figures from the novel Dracula are lurking in the darkest corners of Victorian London. ‘Penny Dreadful’ is a frightening psychological thriller that weaves together these classic horror origin stories into a new adult drama.

‘Penny Dreadful’ debuts on Showtime on Sunday, May 11th at 10pm and stars: Josh Hartnett, Billie Piper, Timothy Dalton, Rory Kinnear, Harry Treadaway, Reeve Carney and Helen McCrory

Source: IGN