AfterShock Comics have announced that the streaming service Peacock has given a straight-to-series order to Dead Day, an adaptation of the comic of the same name. The comic book was created by writer Ryan Parrott, artist Evgeniy Bornyakov, colorist JUANCHO!, and letterer Charles Pritchett.
The series will focus on the comic’s key concept of the dead returning to life for a single day “to complete unfinished business,” although the press release doesn’t detail whether the comic’s central protagonists, the Haskins family, will feature in the adaptation; instead, it only says that it will follow an “ensemble of characters” navigating the events of the “dead day.”
Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson (The Vampire Diaries) are on board the adaptation, serving in the roles of co-showrunners, writers, and executive producers, whilst Parrott will be involved with the series as a Consulting Producer. Universal Television will be the studio behind the adaptation.
Parrott stated that “I am beyond excited that Julie Plec, Kevin Williamson, Universal TV and Peacock have embraced its universality and are bringing ‘Dead Day’ to television,” adding that “there are more ‘Dead Day’ comics to come — stay tuned for news of the second volume.” Lisa Katz, the president of scripted content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, described the series as the combination of “an exciting, high-concept premise with relatable characters and real emotion.”
A production schedule for Dead Day was not disclosed. You can read the full press release as follows.
PEACOCK ANNOUNCES STRAIGHT-TO-SERIES ORDER OF SUPERNATURAL DRAMA SERIES DEAD DAY FROM UNIVERSAL TELEVISON, AFTERSHOCK MEDIA, AND PROLIFIC PRODUCERS JULIE PLEC AND KEVIN WILLIAMSON
Plec (The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Legacies), and Williamson (The Vampire Diaries, Dawson’s Creek, The Following) To Serve as Co-Showrunners and Will Adapt the Series Based Off of the Bestselling Comic-Book Series from AfterShock Comics
Peacock announced today the straight-to-series order of supernatural drama series DEAD DAY, based on the bestselling AfterShock comic-book series created by Ryan Parrott, from producers Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Legacies) and Kevin Williamson (The Vampire Diaries, Dawson’s Creek, The Following), who will serve as co-showrunners, writers, and executive producers.
DEAD DAY follows an ensemble of characters as they navigate the annual “dead day,” when for one night the dead come back to complete unfinished business — be that to celebrate a night back on earth or to torment the living. (The hit comic-book series was recently greenlit for Volume 2).
“When AfterShock first greenlit Ryan Parrott’s DEAD DAY comic-book series, we immediately knew we’d acquired a concept that could live and breathe far beyond the printed page of the comic,” said Mike Marts, Editor in Chief, AfterShock Comics. “We were overjoyed when Kevin and Julie shared that same interest and enthusiasm in the potential for this series.”
“I’m extremely grateful to AfterShock Comics for developing DEAD DAY with me and helping to bring it to life,” said Ryan Parrott, creator of DEAD DAY. “I am beyond excited that Julie Plec, Kevin Williamson, Universal TV and Peacock have embraced its universality and are bringing DEAD DAY to Television. And there are more DEAD DAY comics to come—stay tuned for news of the second volume!”
AfterShock Media is comprised of Rive Gauche and AfterShock Comics, uniting a proven film/tv production and distribution platform with a rapidly growing original comic creation and publishing business. AfterShock Comics has published 110 + comics thus far in its 6 year existence.
Plec and Williamson are reuniting after their last collaboration creating the long-running, fan-favorite hit TV series The Vampire Diaries.
“Dead Day combines an exciting, high-concept premise with relatable characters and real emotion,” said Lisa Katz, president scripted content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “We jumped at the opportunity to work with Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson, who not only have tremendous individual track records with their high-quality storytelling, but have created magic together before.”
“Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson are each a powerhouse unto themselves, so we couldn’t have been more excited when they told us they wanted to team up again,” said Vivian Cannon, EVP, Drama Development, Universal Television. “Dead Day will be everything Julie and Kevin’s audiences love about their work—emotional, unexpected and totally bingeable!”
“We have been looking for a project to do together and Dead Day has all the ingredients we love as storytellers. Love, death, thrills and tears — and we know Susan Rovner and her team at Peacock is the perfect fit for this project,” said Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson.
“We realized because of Dead Day’s unique, universally appealing concept that this AfterShock Comic would capture the audience’s imagination worldwide. And none of this would be possible without this recognition from our amazing partners: Julie Plec, Kevin Williamson, Universal Television, Peacock and Ryan Parrott, the creator of Dead Day,” said AfterShock Media’s Lee and Jon Kramer.
Plec is currently in production on Peacock’s upcoming YA supernatural drama series VAMPIRE ACADEMY, which she co-created and is co-showrunning, based on the bestselling book series of the same name, and she is also executive producing the upcoming NBC series The Endgame, which premieres Feb 21st.
Williamson is currently in post on the thriller, SICK for Miramax Studios, which he serves as a producer. He also executive produced the latest SCREAM film.ABOUT THE SERIES:
· Co-Showrunners / Writers / Executive Producers: Julie Plec (My So-Called Company) and Kevin Williamson (Outerbanks Entertainment)
· Executive Producers: Ben Fast, Emily Cummins and Lee Kramer, Jon Kramer and David Sigurani for AfterShock Media
· Consulting Producer: Ryan Parrott (writer of the comic-book series Dead Day)
· Studio: Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group
· Format: Supernatural Drama Series
