Creepshow (TV series)

Creepshow
Promotional poster
Genre
Based onCreepshow
by Stephen King & George A. Romero
Developed byGreg Nicotero
ComposerChristopher Drake
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes23 + 2 specials (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersRussell Binder
James Glenn Dudelson
Robert Franklin Dudelson
Jeff Holland
Jordan Kizwani
Greg Nicotero
Stan Spry
Brian Whitten
Eric Scott Woods
ProducersJulia Hobgood
Alex Orr
Production locationsAtlanta, Georgia (season 1-3)
Toronto, Ontario (season 4)
Running time42–45 minutes
Production companies
  • Monster Agency Productions
  • Striker Entertainment
  • Taurus Entertainment Company
Original release
NetworkShudder
ReleaseSeptember 26, 2019 (2019-09-26) –
present

Creepshow is an American horror anthology television series that was released on Shudder in 2019.[1] The series serves as a continuation of the 1982 film of the same name and features twenty five episodes with two horror stories per episode.[1] The series premiered on September 26, 2019.[2]

On October 30, 2019, the series was renewed for a second season.[3] On October 30, 2020, an animated special titled A Creepshow Animated Special was released.[4] On November 10, 2020, it was announced that a holiday special titled A Creepshow Holiday Special would premiere on December 18, 2020.[5]

On February 18, 2021, the series was renewed for a third season, and the second season premiered on April 1, 2021. The third season debuted on September 23, 2021.[6]

On February 10, 2022, the series was renewed for a fourth season.[7] The fourth season premiered on October 13, 2023.[8]

Premise

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The Creep shows audience members darkly grim horror stories from the pages of the Creepshow comic book. Each story evokes the traits of a comic book like the first Creepshow film and shows some occasional advertisements of horror products promoted in the comics. The stories detail different things including but not limited to demons, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and zombies.

Episodes

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Main article: List of Creepshow (TV series) episodes
SeasonEpisodesSegmentsOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1612September 26, 2019 (2019-09-26)October 31, 2019 (2019-10-31)
Specials23October 30, 2020 (2020-10-30)December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
259April 1, 2021 (2021-04-01)April 29, 2021 (2021-04-29)
36[9]12September 23, 2021 (2021-09-23)October 28, 2021 (2021-10-28)
4612October 13, 2023 (2023-10-13)

Production

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Development

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In July 2018, the Creepshow television series was announced, with Greg Nicotero listed as a producer and streaming service Shudder as the distributor.[10]

As in the original Creepshow, the Creep is a full-bodied puppet that delivers gags (mostly featured in the cold openings of each episode) through nonverbal cues or laughter. There were some episodes that used an animated version of the Creep.

Adaptations

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On January 16, 2019, it was announced that one of the segments of the pilot episode would be based on Stephen King's short story, "Survivor Type" from his 1985 collection Skeleton Crew; however, that story was ultimately not used for the first season and was instead part of the animated Halloween special that aired in 2020.[11]

As with the feature films, the series draws from short story fiction. Subsequently, the following were also announced as the basis for stories:[1]

Original stories announced include:[1]

  • Lydia Layne's Better Half by John Harrison and Greg Nicotero
  • Skincrawlers written by Paul Dini and Stephen Langford
  • Night of the Paw by John Esposito
  • Bad Wolf Down by Rob Schrab
  • Model Kid by John Esposito
  • Public Television Of The Dead by Rob Schrab
  • Dead and Breakfast by Michael Rousselet and Erik Sandoval
  • Pesticide by Frank Dietz
  • The Right Snuff by Paul Dini, Stephen Langford and Greg Nicotero
  • Sibling Rivalry by Melanie Dale
  • Pipe Screams by Daniel Kraus
  • Within the Walls of Madness by John Esposito and Greg Nicotero
  • Night of the Living Late Show by Dana Gould
  • Queen Bee by Erik Sandoval and Michael Rousselet
  • Skeletons in the Closet by John Esposito
  • Familiar by Josh Malerman
  • The Last Tsuburaya by Paul Dini and Stephen Langford
  • Okay, I'll Bite by John Harrison
  • Stranger Sings by Jordana Arkin
  • Meter Reader by John Esposito
  • Time Out by Barrington Smith and Paul Seetachit
  • The Things in Oakwood's Past by Greg Nicotero and Daniel Kraus
  • Drug Traffic by Mattie Do & Christopher Larsen
  • A Dead Girl Named Sue by Heather Anne Campbell
  • Twenty Minutes with Cassandra by Jamie Flanagan
  • Smile by Mike Scannell
  • The Hat by Byron Willinger & Philip de Blasi
  • The Parent Deathtrap by Erik Sandoval & Michael Rousselet
  • To Grandmother's House We Go by William Butler
  • Meet the Belaskos by John Esposito
  • Cheat Code by Claire Carré & Charles Spano
  • Something Burrowed, Something Blue by Todd Spence & Zak White
  • Doodles by Zak White & Todd Spence
  • George Romero in 3-D! by Todd Spence & Zak White
  • Baby Teeth by Melanie Dale

Casting

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In April 2019, cast members announced included Adrienne Barbeau, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tobin Bell.[12] Subsequent announced cast members included David Arquette, Tricia Helfer, and Dana Gould.[1] On June 20, 2019, Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Davison, DJ Qualls, Big Boi, and Kid Cudi were announced as additional cast members.[13]

In September 2020, Anna Camp, Adam Pally, Josh McDermitt, Keith David, and Ashley Laurence were cast for the second season.[14] Later in October 2020, Marilyn Manson, Ali Larter, Iman Benson, Ryan Kwanten, Barbara Crampton, C. Thomas Howell, Denise Crosby, Breckin Meyer, Ted Raimi, Kevin Dillon and Eric Edelstein were cast.[15] On February 1, 2021, It was announced that Manson's episode would not air due to multiple abuse allegations[16][17] and that an episode starring Molly Ringwald would air instead.[18] In March 2021, it was announced that Justin Long and D'Arcy Carden would be starring in an episode.[19]

Season 3 cast members include King Bach, Ethan Embry, Michael Rooker, James Remar, Reid Scott and Johnathon Schaech.[20][21]

Directors

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Unlike the film entries, the Creepshow series will feature several directors instead of one director. Announced segment directors include David Bruckner, Roxanne Benjamin, Rob Schrab, John Harrison, Greg Nicotero, and Tom Savini;[1] the latter three having worked on the first two Creepshow features.

Filming

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Principal photography for the series began in February 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. Season 2 began filming in September 2020; it was supposed to begin in March 2020, but was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22][23][24]

In season four, its episodes were filmed in Toronto.[25]

Release

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The series premiered on Shudder September 26, 2019.[1][2]

Critical reception

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The series received acclaim from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 97% based on 29 reviews with an average rating of 7.7/10. The critical consensus reads: "Delightfully eerie, Creepshow captures the spirit of the original while forging its own spooky path."[26] On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 64 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[27]

In Other Media

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Tie-in novels

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Scholastic Books released a book entitled Creepshow: The Taker, featuring two novellas inspired by the TV series. They were written by Elley Cooper.[28] A followup installment was released on April 28, 2021, entitled Creepshow: The Cursed, also written by Elley Cooper.[29]

Halloween Horror Nights

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On August 3, 2019, Universal Parks & Resorts announced that Creepshow would be coming to Halloween Horror Nights exclusively at its Universal Studios Hollywood theme park. The maze featured three segments from the 1982 film ("Father's Day", "The Crate", and "They're Creeping Up on You") as well as two others from the newly made television version for Shudder ("Gray Matter" and "Bad Wolf Down").[30]

Video game

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Horror game studio DreadXP and developer DarkStone Digital announced in 2022 a video game adaptation of the series.[31]

Comic books

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Skybound Entertainment has published a number of comics based on the show, starting in September 2022[32]. They primarily feature original stories, by different creators in each issue. They have so far released three mini-series of five issues each, two holiday specials and one special based on Joe Hill's "Wolverton Station"[33].

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "'Creepshow': David Arquette, Tricia Helfer & Dana Gould Join Shudder Series; Tom Savini To Direct". Collider.com. May 30, 2019. Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Video: Shudder Releases First "Creepshow" Trailer at San Diego Comic Con, Announces September 26 Series Debut". The Futon Critic. July 19, 2019.
  3. ^ "Shudder Renews Hit Series "Creepshow" for Second Season". The Futon Critic. October 30, 2019.
  4. ^ "Video: Shudder Releases Trailer, Key Art and Images for "A Creepshow Animated Special" Premiering Thursday, October 29". The Futon Critic. October 23, 2020.
  5. ^ "Shudder Spreads Christmas Fear with "A Creepshow Holiday Special" Premiering December 18". The Futon Critic. November 10, 2020.
  6. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (February 18, 2021). "'Creepshow' Renewed For Season 3 At Shudder & Horror Streamer Orders Black Anthology Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  7. ^ White, Peter (February 10, 2022). "'Creepshow', 'Kin' & 'Bloodlands' Renewed At AMC Networks As Eric McCormack Leads New Installment Of 'Slasher'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  8. ^ Squires, John (2023-08-21). ""Creepshow" Season 4 Trailer – Shudder Series Unleashes Brand New Monsters This Halloween". Bloody Disgusting!. Archived from the original on 2023-08-22. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  9. ^ "Creepshow – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  10. ^ "Creepshow TV series stories confirmed". Den of Geek.[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ Cavanaugh, Patrick (January 16, 2019). "First 'Creepshow' Series Details Emerge About 'The Walking Dead' Director's Entry". ComicBook. Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  12. ^ Butler, Karen (April 6, 2019). "Giancarlo Esposito, Adrienne Barbeau booked for 'Creepshow' episode". UPI.com. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  13. ^ Squires, John (June 20, 2019). "Jeffrey Combs and More Join Cast of Shudder's "Creepshow"; Plus Every Episode Detailed!". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  14. ^ Petski, Denise (September 10, 2020). "'Creepshow': Anna Camp, Adam Pally, Josh McDermitt, Keith David & Ashley Laurence Join Season 2 Cast As Production Begins". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  15. ^ Pedersen, Erik (October 28, 2020). "'Creepshow' Season 2 Rounds Out Cast; Marilyn Manson, Ali Larter & Several Others Set For Shudder Anthology Series". Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  16. ^ "Marilyn Manson's Creepshow Episode Will No Longer Air Amid Evan Rachel Wood Abuse Allegations". 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Marilyn Manson dropped from 'American Gods' and 'Creepshow' following abuse allegations". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  18. ^ "'Creepshow' Creator Greg Nicotero on Scrapping Marilyn Manson Episode Amid Abuse Allegations: "We Stand by the Decision"". 18 February 2021. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  19. ^ "Creepshow Showrunner Greg Nicotero on the Challenges and Triumphs of Season 2". Archived from the original on 2021-03-25. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  20. ^ ""Creepshow" Season 3 Brings 12 New Tales of Terror to Shudder for Halloween! [Trailer]". September 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  21. ^ "TVLine Items: Dave Annable to Walker, Krakowski Joins Annie Live! And More". September 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  22. ^ Squires, John (February 9, 2019). "Production Has Begun On Shudder's "Creepshow"; Stories and Directors Announced!". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  23. ^ Kaye, Don (April 21, 2020). "Creepshow Season 2 Ready to Go as Soon as It's Safe". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  24. ^ Baxter, Joseph (September 10, 2020). "Creepshow Season 2 Starts Production as the Shudder Series Reveals its Cast". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  25. ^ Boccella, Maggie (October 14, 2023). ""Creepshow" Season 4 - Greg Nicotero on Showrunning & Special Effects". Collider. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  26. ^ "Creepshow: Season 1 (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  27. ^ "Creepshow: Season 1". Metacritic. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  28. ^ "Creepshow: The Taker". scholastic.com. Archived from the original on 2020-10-18. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  29. ^ "Creepshow: The Cursed". barnesandnoble.com. Archived from the original on 2020-10-17. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  30. ^ Brittani Tuttle (August 3, 2019). "'Creepshow' announced for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood". Attractions Magazine. Archived from the original on October 17, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  31. ^ https://www.blackgate.com/2022/09/29/goth-chick-news-playing-creepshow-yes-please/
  32. ^ "CREEPSHOW #1: ALL THE GORY DETAILS ANNOUNCED!".
  33. ^ "Creepshow".
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