As we await the first trailer for Guillermo Del Toro's FX series THE STRAIN, some new images from the show have made their way online. Based on the novels written by Del Toro and Chuck Hogan, THE STRAIN is a contemporary retelling of the classic vampire story with a twist. Reading the novels you get a very Michael Crichton/ANDROMEDA STRAIN medical thriller vibe mixed with the supernatural bloodsucker element. But, before you begin to roll your eyes at the prospect of another vampire story, think again.
Much like the creatures from BLADE II, Guillermo Del Toro's vampires in THE STRAIN are not your traditional interpretation. LOST and BATES MOTEL showrunner Carlton Cuse, who will oversee THE STRAIN, shared some details at the recent Television Critics Association press tour.
“You'll never look at vampires the same way. These are not sparkly, brooding dudes with fangs and romantic problems. These vampires, or to use the Romanian word, tragoi, are really scary creatures…
The books are well-represented in the show, but the series is a deeper and richer experience. It's a really interesting vision of the vampires. There’s a wonderful mythology about these vampires and their backstories. They're sentient, and it's a layered force of antagonism that our characters are up to in this story, which differentiates itself from other shows in the genre.”
THE STRAIN does have a much grander scale story to it which likely comes from the fact that when Guillermo Del Toro couldn't get it made as a film, he adapted it as a trilogy of novels, which is now becoming a cable series. There is a large scale story with a finite ending which means the series, like HBO's GAME OF THRONES, can play with events along the way while knowing the path is well defined.
Get excited people because THE STRAIN has all the hallmarks of being a great viewing experience. Starring Corey Stoll, Sean Astin, David Bradley, Mia Maestro, Kevin Durand, Natalie Brown, Jonathan Hyde, Richard Sammel, Robert Maillet, Jack Kesy, Ben Hyland and Miguel Gomez, THE STRAIN hits FX this summer.
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