NBC Making New Series Set in the World of ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, based on Seth Grahame-Smith‘s novel of the same name, while initially sounding cool, experienced a sadly lacklustre performance when it hit the big screen in 2012. Despite its poor reception, as of last night, Variety reports that NBC plans to develop a television series set within the world of the novel. The new series is set to be named The Last American Vampire.
Described as a supernatural thriller, the potential series will follow Abby, a young analyst, as she’s recruited into the FBI’s special division that follows strange and mysterious cases. While tracking a string of bizarre murders on her first case, she also discovers that her enigmatic new partner is actually a 500 year old vampire.
At the moment, NBC has given the project a script commitment with a penalty. Terry Matalas (co-creator of 12 Monkeys, who also wrote for Nikita and Terra Nova) is set to write and executive produce the series, while original author Seth Grahame-Smith (also known for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) will also executive produce with David Katzenberg. 20th Century Fox Television and KatzSmith Productions will both produce.
Writer and executive producer Terry Matalas
Despite being a novelist, this isn’t Grahame-Smith’s first rodeo writing for the screen, as he penned the screenplay for the film adaptation, and both he and Katzenberg also produced last year’s smash hit IT remake.
If The Last American Vampire moves ahead, it’ll be the latest screen adaptation the novel has seen. Although the film underperformed, the novel itself is a fun romp and well-liked for its odd concept, gothic atmosphere and tongue-in-cheek approach. The setting of the novel is intriguing enough to make a great world for a long-running show. Here’s to hoping the series doesn’t fall prey to the same pitfalls of the film – namely taking itself too seriously.