Showtime’s Penny Dreadful finds its Dorian Gray

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

“Penny Dreadful,” the Victorian horror series being produced by Sam Mendes and John Logan for Showtime, has found its Dorian Gray: a young actor named Reeve Carney. Carney is probably best known as Spider-Man/Peter Parker in the Broadway show “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.” (Yes, he’s still alive. Somehow.)

The character of Dorian Gray, created by Oscar Wilde, was an attractive young man who couldn’t age after he sold his soul. The Hollywood Reporter describes the series’ Dorian as being confident and mesmerizing, yet somewhat isolated.

“Penny Dreadful” revolves around some of literature’s famed monsters — including Dr. Frankenstein and his creature, Dorian Gray and figures from the Dracula — weaving together classic horror origin stories as the characters grapple with their monstrous alienation.

Carney joins Josh Hartnett, Eva Green (pictured below) and Timothy Dalton in the series, which will air on Showtime in 2014. Juan Antonio Bayona directs the first two episodes.