Evidence would suggest that The Purge has no intention of releasing its grasp on fans of sociopathic cinema. The event itself is a wild concept, though admittedly there are days when it feels as if our own real-life version isn't far from being declared. The rules of The Purge are quite simple: In a not-so-far-flug America, citizens are legally granted permission to unleash their darkest desires during a 12-hour window of legalized crime, including murder. The James DeMonaco-created franchise began in 2013 with a thriller starring Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey and Max Burkholder, among others. Since that time, THE PURGE has evolved into a bone-chilling trilogy on the big screen, and soon, Blumhouse Television and USA will present a 10-episode series based on the property.
The Purge TV series stars Gabriel Chavarria, Jessica Garza, Hannah Emily Anderson, Lili Simmons, Amanda Warren, Colin Woodell, Lee Tergesen, William Baldwin, Fiona Dourif and Reed Diamond. Serving as director and executive producer of the premiere episode is Anthony Hemingway, while Thomas Kelly is set as the program's executive producer and showrunner.
The show is expected to follow a series of characters who find themselves trapped in the terrifying and time-honored event. Some of them will be running for their lives, while others are expected to embrace the hellish holiday full-on by getting their hands nice and bloody.
The series will premiere Tuesday, September 4 at 10/9 on USA Network with the premiere and finale episodes set to be simulcast on SYFY.
Meanwhile, the third film in the Purge trilogy, THE FIRST PURGE, starring Y'lan Nowl, Lex Scott Davis and Jovian Wade is scheduled to raise hell in theaters beginning on July 4th. Directed by Gerard McMurray and written by James DeMonaco, THE FIRST PURGE will be a prequel that will focus on how The Founding Fathers convinced the government to allow the event to take place.