A&E adds to their horror genre lineup with an American remake of THE RETURNED

The Returned, a French “zombie” horror-drama that aired on IFC earlier this year. One in which my DVR decided to stop recording for reasons unknown, but which is now on netflix for me to watch-a-thon out at anytime, (Yessss) is getting an American remake on A&E which already is home to Bates Motel & Those Who Kill (well, kind of).  Horror and Horror-lite seems to be a pretty hot commodity on television at the moment, whether it is airing on network tv,  basic cable, or even premium networks.

From IMDB

“A&E is investing in The Returned. The cable network has picked up its take on the French zombie drama straight to series with a 10-episode pickup, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Bates Motel co-showrunner Carlton Cuse will oversee the production alongside Raelle Tucker (True Blood). Cuse penned the first episode and he and Tucker will write and exec produce the series together. Casting will begin immediately on the series, a co-production of A+E Studios and FremantleMedia North America. Production will begin in the summer. Story: ‘The Returned’: TV Review With the pickup, the Lost alum will have”

The above shall be known as “The Returned” when it makes it’s American remake debut on A&E

Production is set to begin this Summer……more details to be revealed when available!

Bates Motel is re-opening in early 2014, here is your first teaser of Season 2!

Bates Motel was a surprise hit for me, and a lot of folks apparently as the ratings were solid and a second season was ordered.  We are still a handful of months away from 2014, but like most shows these days the viral content has gotten started awfully early….here is your first teaser:

UPDATE: So it turns out this was fan made. Fooled me big time. Kudos to the fan who put this together.

A&E to Bates Motel: “Pilot? We don’t need no stinkin’ pilot” 10 episode series ordered!

Awhile back a TV series based Psycho’s Bates Motel was supposedly in the works, then the trail went cold and some though the show was D.O.A. Well today comes news that not only has the project been resurrected, but A&E has granted the project a 10 episode series right out of the gate without the usual ordering of a pilot….

From Deadline:

“A&E Network is checking into Bates Motel without even ordering a pilot, it was announced today. The network is putting in a 10-episode order of the Alfred HitchcockPsycho-inspired series from Universal Television, with a 2013 premiere planned. Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin will serve as executive producers. Cuse wrote almost three dozen episodes of Lost and served as executive produce on the show. Ehrin was a writer and producer recently on Parenthood and Friday Night Lights. Roy Lee, John Middleton Jr, and producer Mark Wolper originally put Bates Motel together. As A&E announced earlier this year, the series goes into the story before Psycho. With a contemporary touch, Bates Motel looks at the twisted relationship between serial killer-to-be Norman Bates and his mother Norma.”

For those who have seen Psycho IV, you are well aware this subject matter has been somewhat covered before, in a disturbing fashion.  Will the A&E series go down that road? Time will tell……

Source: Deadline

A&E developing Psycho prequel tv series….

The fact that this plot has sort of already been explored in PSYCHO IV aside….it looks like A&E wants to develop a prequel that explores what exactly led to Norman Bates turning out the way he did…..

@NoCalMike reviews BAG OF BONES!

This past Sunday & Monday nights A&E aired the two part, “four hour” adaption of the Stephen King novel “Bag of Bones”  the story of a writer trying to get away to cope with the death of his wife. Like most small towns in a horror story, everything isn’t as seems. Did this adaption hit it’s mark? Read my thoughts after the jump!

Stephen King’s Bag of Bones adaption headed to A&E…..

Following up on an earlier report about Bag of Bones landing Pierce Brosnan for a leading role in the special, The Hollywood Reporter also has this to add to the details on the show…

• A&E has picked up the Pierce Brosnan–Stephen King four-part miniseries Bag of Bones.
• The four-hour miniseries, based off  King’s New York Times bestselling novel, will air over two nights in the fourth quarter of 2011.
• Anabeth Gish will also star. Mick Garris will direct and Matt Vennewrote the script. It will be filmed in Nova Scotia, Canada. Production begins next month.
• Brosnan plays a man who is unable to stop grieving for his wife, who died suddenly. After returning to the lakeside retreat they shared, he inadvertently gets involved in a local custody battle – while having nightmares about his dead wife.

Look for Bag of Bones to air on A&E in the fourth quarter of 2011 and keep checking back here for more details as they become available!

Credit: The Hollywood Reporter