Blumhouse Television and Amazon have assembled a virtual writers' room for a series called The Horror of Dolores Roach, with Dara Resnik set to serve as the showrunner. Resnik is working with story creator Aaron Mark to develop the idea into a series – and this will be the third time the story has been told.
Mark originally wrote the story as a one-woman play called Empanada Loca, which starred Daphne Rubin-Vega. The concept was then expanded into a podcast called The Horror of Dolores Roach, written and directed by Mark, with Rubin-Vega being joined in the vocal cast by Bobby Cannavale, Donnell Rawlings, and Amy Ryan.
Rubin-Vega is also involved in the development of the Amazon series.
Empanada Loca / The Horror of Dolores Roach draws inspiration from Sweeney Todd to tell a grotesque tale of Eat or Be Eaten,
a macabre urban legend of love, betrayal, weed, gentrification, cannibalism, and survival of the fittest. It follows the indomitable Dolores Roach, who returns to a New York City neighborhood that has changed drastically during the sixteen years she has been in prison. Her boyfriend missing, her family long gone, Dolores is recognized only by an old stoner friend, Luis, who gives Dolores room and board and lets her give massages for cash in the basement apartment under his dilapidated empanada shop.
When the promise of her newfound stability is quickly threatened, ‘Magic Hands Dolores’ is driven to extremes to survive — leaving in her wake a string of strangled massage clients. In the face of unexpected professional success, Dolores and Luis become dangerously symbiotic, and Luis must unleash his own particular predilections.
Blumhouse is collaborating with Gimlet Pictures on this project. The show will be executive produced by Jason Blum, Marci Wiseman and Jeremy Gold of Blumhouse Television, as well as Chris Giliberti and Justin McGoldrick of Gimlet.
I hadn't heard of Empanada Loca or The Horror of Dolores Roach before this Amazon show was announced, but it sounds very interesting to me. I might have to go back and listen to the podcast while we wait for further news on the adaptation.
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