The hills of television are alive with the sound of screams and splatter, as the recent resurgence of horror TV just keeps getting stronger. The latest project to gain some ground is, oddly enough, an adaptation of the Swedish novel Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindquist, which has already inspired two feature film adaptations. I know what you’re thinking: what’s the Swedish equivalent of “déjà vu?”
This episodic take on Let the Right One In is being set up at the horror-friendly network A&E, which reportedly beat out Showtime in a bidding war, according to THR. It’ll be put together by Criminal Minds and Teen Wolf creator Jeff Davis, along with actor/screenwriter/novelist Brandon Boyce, who had a recurring role on Teen Wolf as Dr. Vandenburg. Boyce’s screenwriting credits include Bryan Singer’s adaptation of Stephen King’s Apt Pupil and Wicker Park, the American remake of Gilles Mimouni’s L’appartement. So at least both of these guys have experience in remaking things, even if Teen Wolf is drastically different from the films.
Let the Right One In will center on the surprisingly sweet and complex relationship between a young, bullied teenager and a sorta-same-aged female vampire whose mysterious guardian keeps her mostly out of public sight. Of course, it’s not so wonderful for everyone else, as a series of murders plagues the small Vermont town they live in, and in comes a federal marshal who is hiding his own secretive past.
Lindquist’s lengthy and brooding novel was first brought to the big screen in Tomas Alfredson’s near-perfect 2008 film, which hit right when Twlight Fever threatened to doom vampire fiction forever. It was then remade in 2010 by Matt Reeves as Let Me In, which was somewhat needless, despite being enjoyable, since the original film found life and acclaim in the U.S. by that point. Check out the preview for the Swedish version below.
Speaking of remakes, Let the Right One In will be A&E’s third horror reimagining. The Carlton Cuse-adapted quasi-zombie drama The Returned, based on the stellar French series, premiered its first season recently, and the network’s flagship show at this point is Bates Motel, a prequel series for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Hell, even The CW is getting in on this trend, showing interest in a Friday the 13th series, as well as the development for a remake of Tales from the Darkside. And that Problem Child series doesn’t count as horror, but it’s still a scary as shit prospect.
Are you guys ready to see another version of Let the Right One In try to keep TV vampires relevant?
