Countess Bathory series in development at CBS

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

While NBC works on putting together a TV series about the Brides of Dracula, CBS is plotting their own show about a lady with a habit of draining blood.

Legendary producer Joel Silver and modern Battlestar Galactica executive producer David Eick are teaming up to develop a period drama series based on the life of 16th century Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory, a historical figure who is very familiar to horror fans.

Entitled Bathory, Silver and Eick's series will tell the story of 

woman nicknamed the Blood Countess and Countess Dracula. Considered the world’s most prolific serial killer, Bathory is believed to have tortured and murdered more than 600 girls. She also is known for her vampire-like tendencies, including drinking the girls' blood. Bathory eventually was arrested, tried and convicted, spending her last days in solitary confinement.

Eick is currently at work on the script.

I'm not sure how well the Bathory story will sustain an on-going series, although I assume they will be trying to get some mileage out of the Countess's time managing her husband's estates while he was fighting in the Thirteen Years' War. A show focusing just on the murders of 600 victims might get a bit repetitious.

Ingrid Pitt as COUNTESS DRACULA