Well, this is a piece of comforting casting news. Sean Bean‘s death streak is completely broken as his new character is finally going to “live” longer than it should through ITV’s upcoming crime drama, “The Frankenstein Chronicles”.
Despite having longevity in the showbiz, Sean Bean has always had short-lived appearances in a film (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “Accused”) or TV series due to the death of his characters.
However, now, the “Game of Thrones” star can finally make it all the way to the closing credits as ITV has confirmed that he will be leading the spin-off TV series of the Frankenstein myth.
Best known for the period drama TV series “Downtown Abbey”, ITV has ordered Rainmark Films to adapt Mary Shelley’s 1818 classic into a 6-part period crime drama of a thrilling and terrifying re-imagination of the Frankenstein myth. With its investigative and horror genres, the TV series hails from Emmy-nominated director and writer Benjamin Ross (RKO 281, The Young Poisoner’s Handbook) and writer Barry Langford (Torte Bluma).
Sean Bean will lead the TV series as Inspector John Marlott and the story will be set in Regency London in 1827. Ross explained that “Marlott’s investigation takes him into the dark corners of Regency London” where “he discovers an underworld of prostitution, drug smuggling, bodysnatching, and murder for profit. The rational evidence points first one way, and then another as he contemplates a frightening alternate scenario”.
The drama’s opening sequences are described as follows:
The Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel, following a successful operation by Thames River Police to apprehend a gang of opium smugglers, recruits Marlott. As he stands on the water’s edge contemplating the arrest of the smugglers, Marlott makes a shocking discovery. The body of a dead child is washed up on the shore and on further examination of the corpse he is horrified to discover it’s not actually a child but rather a crude assembly of body parts arranged in a grotesque parody of a human form. The mutilated child-like body leaves an indelible impression on Marlott and he finds himself unable to shake off the memory of what has happened that fateful night.
With a formidable reputation as an investigator, he is known as a man who “doesn’t know the meaning of fear,” so it comes as no surprise when coldly efficient Peel, summons him insisting the “details of your investigation must remain confidential.” And after what he’s witnessed Marlott accepts the challenge to track the perpetrator of this heinous crime. We follow him as he pursues the crazed killer behind the mutilated body. As he investigates, Marlott discovers that what he’s dealing with is more horrific than he could possibly have imagined.
“The Frankenstein Chronicles” will be the first original drama that will go air on ITV’s subscription channel ITV Encore since it launched earlier this year. David Tanner for Rainmark Films (Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight) and Carol Moorhead (Line Of Duty) will be the producers of the drama while Rainmark Films’ Tracey Scoffield (Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, Dirty Pretty Things) and Frank Doelger (Game Of Thrones, Rome, John Adams) will be the executive producers.
Benjamin Ross will direct the series and the filming will begin in Northern Ireland in January 2015. So far, Sean Bean is the only confirmed cast for the series.
The actor will be seen next in Ridley Scott’s “The Martian” with other high-profile actors including Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Michael Peña, Jeff Daniels, Donald Glover, Sebastian Stan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Mackenzie Davis. He will also appear alongside Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum in “Jupiter Ascending”.
We don’t know about you but this sounds like an interesting concept for an investigative-horror TV series. Let us know what you think about this TV series in the comments box below!
(Source / Featured image)
