You can now add “TV” to the list of places that are no longer safe from the machinations of murderous dolls. Syfy announced on Tuesday that it is in development on a television adaptation of the long-running Chucky franchise, centered on a sentient children’s toy that becomes the vessel for the spirit of a serial killer.
Following the premiere of the character in the 1988 film “Child’s Play,” the redheaded Chucky has gone on to anchor an entire franchise, which boasts seven different films. Original writer Don Mancini has written every installment to date, and is set to become the creator on this new series. Mancini has also directed three of the films, beginning with “Seed of Chucky” in 2004 and continuing through the most recent installment, 2017’s “Cult of Chucky.”
As part of the announcement, Mancini said, “The show will be a fresh take on the franchise, allowing us to explore Chucky’s character with a depth that is uniquely afforded by the television series format, while staying true to the original vision that has terrorized audiences for over three decades now.”
In addition to Mancini and David Kirschner, “Channel Zero” creator Nick Antosca is also on board as an executive producer on the series. (The upcoming “Child’s Play” remake, set to premiere in June, is the first in the series to not feature Mancini as a credited writer or Kirschner as a producer.)
Tuesday’s announcement also comes alongside word of two new pilots at the network. Artificial intelligence action drama “Cipher” will follow what happens “when secret military technology is unexpectedly implanted in the brain of a 13-year-old video game junkie.” The Lorne Michaels-produced dark comedy “(Future) Cult Classic” puts a futuristic spin on a “Scream”-like premise, when a community two decades in the future is plagued by a serial killer paying tribute to ’90s slasher movies.
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