Jennifer Avary
M.Night Shyalaman [possibly; they haven’t confirmed his involvement yet] is bringing The Cryptkeeper back to Television!
Announced at the TCA’S today, TNT is resurrecting cult classic series “Tales from the Crypt”. The hour-long endeavour won’t be a straight series but an “umbrella” for what network topper Kevin Reilly hopes will be “many shows” in a variety of genres.
There would be four properties coexisting in the block of shows, said Reilly.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, “The night is expected to include such elements as Tales stories and a serialized one-hour anthology that could potentially be several episodes at the end of a season, as well as other yet-to-be determined content.”
Shyamalan, who made a big splash on TV last year with his “Wayward Pines” for Fox, will likely direct the first outing of the two-hour block. Shyamalan would oversee those two hours.
“Tales from the Crypt” will feature original and new stories – all executive produced by Shyamalan (“The Visit”, “Sixth Sense”) and his Binding Edge Pictures partner Ashwin Rajan.
“This is a new genre for us in our series efforts and a great chance to partner with M. Night Shyamalan, whose blockbuster hit The Visit reminded movie audiences and critics this past summer that he truly is a master of horror,” said Sarah Aubrey, TNT executive vp original programming. “This two-hour horror block demonstrates not only TNT’s commitment to working with today’s top talents, but also our strategy to stand out in today’s marketplace by challenging the conventional rules of programming and scheduling.”
Added Shyamalan: “I couldn’t be more excited to be teaming up with Kevin Reilly, Sarah Aubrey and the entire TNT team in this unique endeavor. To be part of such a beloved brand like Tales From the Crypt, something I grew up watching, and to also have the chance to push the boundaries of genre television as a whole, is an inspiring opportunity that I can’t wait to dive into.”
“Tales from the Crypt” was born in a 1950s comic series and later spawned a TV series and spin-off films, including “Demon Knight” and “Bordello of Blood”.
