When TNT greenlit its remake of Tales from the Crypt earlier this year, they also committed to a 10 episode first season. Mixed in with well-known horror writer/director M. Night Shyamalan developing the project's pilot, the show seemed like a sure thing for the network, which is set to launch a Horror Block in 2017 with fellow series Time of Death and Creatures. But then news regarding Tales from the Crypt abruptly stopped from TNT and Shyamalan, and many wondered at the future of the remake.
While it was rumored that Tales from the Crypt was canceled, there's finally official word from TNT on the fate of the horror anthology series, though it's not exactly encouraging news for anyone who was looking forward to the remake.
According to Bloody Disgusting (and confirmed by Comics Alliance), TNT is currently having issues regarding rights to the property, which is based on a comic from the 1950s. The network has been pursuing potential solutions for a year plus, with a lot of progress presumably being made. There was no word, however, on a time frame for when the issues with Tales from the Crypt may be resolved. The TNT representative's full response can be read below:
“The underlying rights to this classic, vintage property are complicated. TNT and others have been pursuing a solution for more than a year, with significant progress being made. We look forward to the potential for further active development of this valuable franchise once the clearance process is fully resolved.”
While it does sound like TNT is indeed close to working out the rights issues for Tales from the Crypt, it doesn't exactly sound like the show will make its originally announced 2017 release date. There's also been no information regarding the other two shows in the proposed Horror Block that the network had planned, or if they'll hold off until they can launch all three shows simultaneously.
If the continuing rights issues do lead to the network scrapping the Tales from the Crypt reboot, it would certainly be a shame considering the series seemed tailor-fit for Shyamalan and his affinity for twist endings - something the original HBO series, as well as the comic, built its foundation on. And with a number of the writer/director projects not exactly resonating with fans or critics after his initial string of successful films like The Sixth Sense, a hit is exactly what the struggling filmmaker needs.
Still, given the fact that Shyamalan has failed to produce a truly successful hit (The Visit being about the closest with moderately positive reviews and nearly $100 million in box office gross) and with how well regarded the original HBO series is, some fans would certainly welcome the reboot being cancelled altogether. And given the overly adult nature that being on HBO allowed for, TNT being a basic cable network almost guaranteed that Tales from the Crypt wouldn't be able to delve into the same over-the-top violence and subject matter that made the original series so memorable.
Screen Rant will keep you updated on all Tales from the Crypt information as it becomes available.
Source: Bloody Disgusting, Comics Alliance