TV is going to get a whole lot creepier in the not-too-distant future thanks to Greg Nicotero’s upcoming horror series, Creepshow. The show will be an anthology that tackles different scary stories in each episode, and one of the minds behind The Walking Dead is likely the perfect person to help bring those to television. As it turns out, one installment in the anthology will be penned by none other than Josh Malerman, a.k.a. the author of Bird Box.
One of the episodes of Creepshow will adapt Josh Malerman’s short story, called “House of the Head.” In the story, somebody by the name of Elvie May sees a murder and haunting… in the doll house that she keeps in her bedroom. Although the haunting is limited to the dollhouse and the rest of the girl’s family is not affected, Elvie May worries about the dolls left inside of the miniature house, and what goes on inside of the house is so macabre that she’ll be scarred for life.
On the one hand, “House of the Head” sounds like a story that could be kind of dull if handled by somebody who doesn't know their horror. On the other hand, given that “House of the Head” was written by the man who dreamed up Bird Box and was selected by Greg Nicotero for Creepshow adaptation, I think it’s probably safe to say that we’re in for something seriously scary with this particular episode.
While many folks may not have been familiar with Josh Malerman’s skill as a storyteller a year ago, Netflix subscribers may as of the end of 2018, when the streaming giant released a movie adaptation of Malerman’s Bird Box novel. In that project, a woman and her children must travel blindfolded to avoid a supernatural force that would compel them to kill themselves or become something else entirely.
The movie wasn’t without its controversies due to its use of real-life disaster footage, and Netflix did not remove the footage after becoming aware, but it showed viewers a new side of Sandra Bullock. If Creepshow can deliver some creepiness on the same level as Bird Box, viewers should be in for a wonderfully unnerving episode.
“House of the Head” is only one of several stories recently announced as inspiration for episodes of Creepshow. AMC announced at the recent TCA press tour (via Collider) that production on Creepshow has begun, with episodes based on “Silvery Waters of Lake Champlain” by Joe Hill of NOS4A2, “The Companion” by Joe Lansdale of The Bottoms, “The Man in the Suitcase,” by Christopher Buehlman of The Lesser Dead, “All Hallows Eve” by Bruce Jones of The Hitchhiker, “Night of the Paw” by John Esposito of The Walking Dead: Webisodes, “Bad Wolf Down” by Rob Schrab of Monster House, and a Stephen King story.
Earlier reports indicated that the Stephen King story to be included in Creepshow is “Survivor Type,” which -- as you might expect of anything with Stephen King’s name on it -- is downright disturbing and would be a great fit for what seems to be the vision for Creepshow.
No premiere date has been been announced for Creepshow just yet, but it’s expected to debut on Shudder at some point in 2019. The good news is that there are plenty of viewing options in the meantime, and you can find your options on our midseason TV premiere guide.
