In a bid to compete against cable and network programs, Netflix is expanding their original programming selection and is finalizing a deal with Gaumont International Television for ‘Hemlock Grove’, a new hour long thriller/horror series which will be produced and directed by Eli Roth (‘Grindhouse’, ‘Cabin Fever’).
‘Hemlock Grove’ is based on a book of the same name by Brian McGeevy. Here’s a description of the book according to Amazon:
“The body of a young girl is found mangled and murdered in the woods of Hemlock Grove, Pennsylvania, in the shadow of the abandoned Godfrey Steel mill. A manhunt ensues—though the authorities aren’t sure if it’s a man they should be looking for.
Some suspect an escapee from the White Tower, a foreboding biotech facility owned by the Godfrey family—their personal fortune and the local economy having moved on from Pittsburgh steel—where some suspect that biological experiments of the most unethical kind take place. Others turn to Peter Rumancek, a Gypsy trailer-trash kid who has told impressionable high school classmates that he’s a werewolf. Or perhaps it’s Roman, the son of the late J. R. Godfrey, who rules the adolescent social scene with the casual arrogance of a cold-blooded aristocrat, his superior status unquestioned despite his decidedly freakish sister, Shelley, whose monstrous medical conditions belie a sweet intelligence, and his otherworldly, sexy control freak of a mother, Olivia. As the crime goes unsolved and the police seem more and more willing to believe any outlandish rumor, Peter and Roman decide the only way to save their own skins is to find the killer themselves. Along the way they uncover local secrets and designs that are much bigger than some small-town murder.”
Although ‘Hemlock Grove’ sounds like a great read, don’t think you can rush out and buy it right away as it won’t be published until March 27 of next year.
McGeevy has been hired to adapt his own novel for the series and has enlisted his writing partner Lee Shipman to co-write. Currently, they are working on a revision of Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ presently titled ‘Harker’ about a Scotland Yard detective consumed with finding Dracula. Along with writing credits, McGeevy and Shipman will also serve as executive producers alongside Roth and Eric Newman (producer, ‘In Time’, ‘The Thing’).
Obtaining ‘Hemlock Grove’ will mark the third original series for Netfilx following ‘House of Cards’ from David Fincher and Kevin Spacey and ‘Orange is the New Black’, a comedy from ‘Weeds’ creator Jenji Kohan.
It looks like Netflix is working hard to improve its waning popularity after it announced its price hikes and changes in its DVD policy. The move to become a place for original content instead of just providing content is a risky one for the company. But with more people looking for a way to save money by ditching their cable or satellite service to watch their shows on the internet, it may eventually prove to be a smart move.
‘Hemlock Grove’ is still considered in development so once it becomes available on Netflix, we’ll make sure to let you know!
Source: Deadline
