It appears that we now know why Hulu passed on the live action adaptation of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s IDW comic book ‘Locke & Key’– the pilot just wasn’t very good. Expectations were high that the ambitious supernatural thriller would join Hulu’s line of acclaimed original programming, but in a surprise move, they passed after seeing the pilot.
Netflix is getting close to acquiring the series, but it has just been learned that they are not simply picking up the show that Hulu passed on. Netflix is ordering a new pilot which will be, at least partially, recast. That means that they were also not happy with the finished product.
The first pilot was directed by ‘It”s Andres Muschietti but he is now working on ‘It: Chapter Two’ so another helmer will have to be found. Muschietti and his sister Barbara will retain their executive producer credits. Carlton Cuse developed the original pilot, and it seems he will remain on board and will also be an executive producer.
Megan Charpentier and Jack Mulhern are out as the two older Locke children, Kinsey and Tyler. Their parts will be recast, leaving only ‘It”s Jackson Robert Scott, who played Georgie in the horror film and who will keep his role as the youngest Locke child, Bode.
The Hulu pilot also featured Frances O’Connor as the kids’ mother Nina, Nate Corddry as her gay brother-in-law Duncan, plus Samantha Mathis, Sam Robards, Owen Teague and Danny Glover. So far, there has been no word that the adult roles will be recast. The series follows the exploits of Nina and her kids who move into her husband’s ancestral home after his violent death. The children discover a series of magical keys that grant them bizarre powers, leading them on a series of sinister adventures uncovering their father and his family’s dark past.
Reportedly, there were six or seven completed scripts for Hulu, but since the pilot is being overhauled, it’s likely that those will be as well.
Now that a new pilot must be shot, fans will have to wait even longer to see it. Hopefully, the changes will result in a stronger product!
Source: Deadline
