FX orders del Toro series

US cable channel FX has ordered a new 13-part drama based on a vampire novel trilogy co-written by Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro.

The Strain is a thriller about a doctor who is called to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak of vampirism in New York. The novels were penned by del Toro and Chuck Hogan (The Town), who will both exec produce the TV series alongside showrunner and writer Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel).

The show is being produced by FX Productions, the Fox-owned channel’s in-house production arm, which also made the one-hour pilot for the show.

Eric Schrier and Nick Grad, co-presidents of original programming for FX Networks and FX Productions, said the show “totally reimagines and reinvents the genre.”

Production is slated to begin this month in Toronto with the show due to premiere on FX in July 2014.