NBC, Sky sink teeth into Dracula

NBC has partnered with UK satcaster Sky to coproduce a retelling of Bram Stoker’s classic vampire story Dracula.

The US broadcast network is collaborating with Sky Living on the 10-episode series, which will star Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors) as the iconic count.

Dracula will be produced by Carnival Films and Television, the NBCUniversal-owned UK production company behind period drama Downton Abbey, with Flame Ventures and Playground.

Production is due to begin later this year.

The story sees Dracula arrive in London, posing as an American entrepreneur while he secretly plots revenge on the people who ruined his life centuries earlier.

It is based on a script by co-exec producer Cole Haddon and exec produced by Colin Callender for Playground, Tony Krantz for Flame, Gareth Neame for Carnival, Anne Mensah for Sky, and Universal Television.

Reece Pearson from Flame is also co-exec producer.

Michael Edelstein, president of NBCUniversal International Television Production, described Dracula as a “sexy, updated twist on the classic” that “promises not to disappoint.”

Mensah, head of drama at Sky, added that with its “dark, twisted and intelligent script it absolutely sets the scale, tone and ambition for future dramas on Sky Living.”

NBC announced earlier this year it had made a script-to-series commitment on the project, meaning that if greenlit, it would bypass the traditional development period and go straight to series. A similar model was used for its other forthcoming series Hannibal and Crossbones.

Dracula is Sky’s latest coproduction, but its first for Living. Sky1 has previously partnered with US cablenet Cinemax on Strike Back, and with Syfy on Treasure Island.

Sky Living last week promoted Antonia Hurford-Jones to the role of acting director, following the departure of Jane Johnson.

Meanwhile, NBC will offer viewers the chance to preview its fall season slate online ahead of their broadcast debuts.

Comedies Go On and Animal Practice will have on-air previews on August 8 and August 12 respectively, and will be available on VoD platforms immediately after their initial broadcasts.

All other new series – Revolution, Chicago Fire, Guys With Kids and The New Normal – will also have a two-week online preview window before their fall debuts at NBC.com, affiliate websites, Hulu, iTunes, Amazon and Xbox. Select shows will also be available on Hulu Plus.

Furthermore, a six-minute teaser of JJ Abrams’ new drama Revolution will air on August 4 at about 22.54 ET, following a competition that is expected to feature US swimmer Michael Phelps.