The Horror of Dolores Roach: Marc Maron & 3 more join Justina Machado in Blumhouse cannibal series

Back in February, we heard that Amazon had given an eight episode series order to The Horror of Dolores Roach, “a contemporary Sweeney Todd-inspired tale of eat or be eaten” that’s described as being  “a macabre urban legend of love, betrayal, weed, gentrification, cannibalism, and survival of the fittest.” Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) was attached to star in the series, with Alejandro Hernandez (Gotham), Kita Updike (The Misandrists), and K. Todd Freeman (Grosse Pointe Blank) joining her in the cast. Now Deadline reports that we can add Jean Yoon (Kim’s Convenience), Judy Reyes (Succession, Better Things), Jeffery Self (Search Party), and comedian / podcaster Marc Maron (GLOW) to the cast list.

Based on the Gimlet podcast of the same name, The Horror of Dolores Roach is coming to us from Blumhouse Television, Gimlet, and GloNation Studios. The show will tell the following story:

After serving a 16-year prison sentence, the title character (Machado) returns to a gentrified Washington Heights with $200 and the clothes on her back. Her boyfriend missing, her family long gone, Dolores reunites with an old stoner buddy, Luis, who gives her room and board and lets her give massages for cash in the basement under his dilapidated storefront, Empanada Loca, the only remnant of her former life. When the promise of her newfound stability is quickly threatened, “Magic Hands Dolores” is driven to shocking extremes to survive.

The Horror of Dolores Roach was created by Aaron Mark, who first brought the story into the world as a one-woman play starring Daphne Rubin-Vega. Rubin-Vega returned to the title role for the podcast, which Mark wrote and directed. Now Mark is serving as showrunner on the Amazon series, alongside Dara Resnik.Mark, Resnik, and Rubin-Vega are executive producers on the series, as are Gloria Calderón Kellett, Blumhouse TV’s Jason Blum, Chris McCumber, and Jeremy Gold, Spotify’s Dawn Ostroff, Mimi O’Donnell, and Justin McGoldrick, and pilot director Roxann Dawson.

According to Deadline, Maron is playing Gideon Pearlman, “Luis and Dolores’ Long Island-based landlord who is the new owner of the building where they reside and is the home of Empanada Loca.” Yoon’s character is Joy, “who has owned the laundromat next door to Empanada Loca for nine years and becomes Dolores’ frequent customer.” Reyes takes on the role of Marcie, who “runs the neighborhood weed business and at first offers Dolores an opportunity to work for her, but when Dolores declines quickly becomes her nemesis.” Self is Caleb, “an up-and-coming influencer/podcaster living in the Empanada Loca building. One of Dolores’ regular massage customers, he brings attention to the empanada shop and influx of new patrons after featuring the restaurant in a podcast episode.”

Have you listened to the podcast The Horror of Dolores Roach? Are you interested in watching this Amazon series? Let us know by leaving a comment below.