Riverdale creator builds new shows around Mary Shelley, Brides of Dracula

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, the writer who brought us dark takes on the Archie Comics world with the TV shows Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, is delving into classic horror for his latest television projects.

HBO Max has ordered a pilot and an additional script for the Aguirre-Sacasa project The Shelley Society, which aims to be "a mash-up of gothic horror and teen romance" and is described as being a "Victorian X-Files".

Created by Aguirre-Sacasa, Tessa Leigh Williams, and James DeWille, The Shelley Society will feature Frankenstein author Mary Shelley as its lead character: 

Young author Mary Shelley leads a band of Romantic outlaws —among them, her lovers Percy and Lord Byron — against all manner of supernatural threats and monsters… including Frankenstein author Shelley’s own iconic Creature. 

An unexpected idea, but I guess I can go along with it. If The Shelley Society is ordered to series, Aguirre-Sacasa will be the showrunner.

Aguirre-Sacasa and Berlanti Productions are also preparing to shop around a spec script called The Brides, which is meant to be 

a sexy, contemporary reimagining of the Dracula saga as a family drama with a trio of powerful, diverse female leads. With strong horror elements, The Brides is a vampire soap about empowered, immortal women and the things they do to maintain wealth, prestige, legacy—and their non-traditional family.

This project had previously been set up at NBC during the 2015 – 2016 season, but didn't get off the ground. Which is surprising, because people seem to love sexy vampires. The new spec script is a reworking of the idea that "leans stronger into horror and sexuality."

We'll keep you updated on The Shelley Society and The Brides if either of them move forward.