Ryan Murphy is known for horror when it comes to television, but when it comes to movies, Naomi Watts is a scream queen. The actress starred in 2002’s The Ring as well as its sequel in 2005. Now the two of them are teaming up, as Watts will be the lead in Murphy’s new Netflix series, The Watcher. Watts recently revealed what it’s like returning to horror and it’s like 2002 all over again.
Naomi Watts recently talked to EW while promoting her new movie Lakewood. While she wasn’t able to say much about the new series, she did express her excitement about working with Ryan Murphy, who is known for shows such as American Horror Story, Glee, 9-1-1, and American Crime Story. Watts shared:
I'm only just now getting into prep, we're going to start shooting soon. It's exciting, I can't say much more. I'm thrilled to be working with Ryan, he seems to have the Midas touch. It's a genre that you know I love.
News broke that Naomi Watts would be leading Ryan Murphy’s new Netflix limited series The Watcher, along with Bobby Cannavale, in June. Not much is known about the series, but the show reportedly follows a married couple who get threatening letters from a stalker after moving into their “dream home.” Watts is known for horror besides The Ring, as she’s leading Amazon’s remake of the horror cult classic Goodnight Mommy. The Watcher seems like it’s going to be a great addition to the genre, especially since it’s from Ryan Murphy.
The Watcher marks a big TV leading role for Naomi Watts since she was originally supposed to star in a Game of Thrones prequel that was in the works after the original HBO fantasy drama came to an end. The prequel series ultimately didn't move forward and was replaced by a different prequel altogether. Last year, Watts shared her disappointment. But at least with the cancellation of one series, Watts is still open to starring roles on the small screen, with The Watcher as the latest on the way.
With The Ring franchise, Naomi Watts is no stranger to horror. However, Watts was not part of the 2017 reboot Rings. Director F. Javier Gutierrez told CinemaBlend that although the thought crossed their minds, it was a matter of tying it to the original too much when they wanted it to be a separate movie. Watts will be back into horror once again in The Watcher. There are not too many details on what's coming with The Watcher, including when it could premiere on Netflix, but stay tuned to CinemaBlend for any updates and be sure to check out our fall 2021 TV schedule as well!
