What We Do in the Shadows transformed a cult movie into TV series magic, and now some of the team behind that is going to try for another win with Very Young Frankenstein. We’ve known for a while that the show, teased as a prequel to the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy starring Gene Wilder, was in the works. But it’s now official: the series has been picked up by FX.
Deadline got the scoop, writing that the FX and Hulu series comes from WWDITS‘ Stefani Robinson, Taika Waititi, and Garret Basch; Brooks is aboard as an executive producer. Robinson wrote the pilot, which was directed by Waititi and features Zach Galifianakis, Dolly Wells, Spencer House, Nikki Crawford, Kumail Nanjiani, and Cary Elwes.
We don’t know yet who those actors are playing, much less if Very Young Frankenstein will be a black-and-white production in homage to the film (which was itself an homage to vintage monster movies). However, it sounds like there might be some creative license taken with this new spin on the material, which feels like the right strategy, especially considering how the changes made for WWDITS‘ shift to TV maximized hilarity with such great success.
“Very Young Frankenstein blends inspiration from the fan-favorite movie with the inventive, irreverent spirit that has defined FX comedies over the years, making this a completely original take on the classic story,” FX Entertainment president Nick Grad said in a statement to Deadline. “In the hands of FX veterans Stefani, Taika, and Garrett, alongside the iconic Mel Brooks, we know that fans will have as much fun watching this series as we’re having making it.”
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