When I first saw Vincenzo Natali's 1997 feature directorial debut CUBE, I was blown away and left thinking that the director was The Next Big Thing. While Natali has made a few more features since then, including 2009's SPLICE, he has actually been working primarily in television for the last several years, helming episodes of such shows as Hemlock Grove, Orphan Black, Hannibal, Wayward Pines, Luke Cage, Westworld, The Strain, and American Gods. Natali has now landed a very exciting gig in the world of TV – for the first time, he's going to be directing a pilot, and this pilot is going to be adding a new chapter to one of my favorite genre franchises.
Blumhouse TV and Universal Cable Prods. have hired Natali to direct the pilot for the Tremors mini-series that will star Kevin Bacon, reprising his role from the original TREMORS film more than twenty-five years later.
In the mini-series, written by Andrew Miller,
the killer Graboid worms that nearly destroyed Perfection, NV, 25 years ago are back, and the town’s only hope for survival is Valentine McKee (Bacon), who beat them once. But to do it again he’ll have to overcome age, alcohol and a delusional hero complex.
Miller is the showrunner and will be executive producing the series with Bacon, David Schiff, and Jessica Rhoades. Miller also has a history with Natali – the pair have known each other since high school, and the writer had an acting role in CUBE.
Although I have some misgivings about this mini-series, since I'm concerned they'll be ignoring too much about what has gone on in the TREMORS franchise without Bacon's involvement, I'm also hyped to be getting more Valentine McKee vs. Graboid action.
The mini-series is set up at Syfy.