The race to run the revived dead body that is Frankenstein right back into the ground continues unabated, as Deadline reports that FOX has committed to a pilot titled simply “Frankenstein” written by Rand Ravich (NBC’s “Crisis“).
The new show, described as a “grounded sci-fi drama” loosely inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic 1818 novel, centers on Adam Tremble, “a morally corrupt FBI agent who is given a second chance at life when he is brought back from the dead. Now younger and stronger, Tremble will have to choose between his old temptations and his new sense of purpose — dealing with threats beyond the FBI’s capabilities. All the while navigating the complicated relationship with his “creators”: an antisocial Internet billionaire and his bio-engineer twin sister.”
Ravich is no stranger to horror, having penned the screenplay for Bill Condon’s Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh, not to mention writing and directing the Johnny Depp-led thriller The Astronaut’s Wife. The “Frankenstein” pilot will be executive produced by Ravich and Howard Gordon (“Homeland,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”).
The character of Frankenstein was already given a modern, CGI-heavy makeover this year with the box office dud I, Frankenstein, while 20th Century Fox has Victor Frankenstein starring James McAvoy as the title mad scientist, with the tale of playing God told from the POV of his assistant Igor (Daniel Radcliffe). Universal Pictures also plans to take advantage of the property with a reboot of the iconic James Whale version of the character as part of an overall shared universe. And of course, waiting ever-patiently in the wings, is auteur supreme Guillermo del Toro, who still hopes to one day give us his Bernie Wrightson-inspired, Doug Jones-led, faithful adaptation of the novel, also for Universal.
