"Hemlock Grove," an adaptation of Brian McGreevy's novel, has booked Famke Janssen and Bill Skarsgard in starring roles. The new streaming Netflix series from horror-loving director/producer/writer/actor Eli Roth is set to debut in early 2013.
"I've been waiting for years to dive into television, and Eric Newman and I founded Arcade to do elevated genre projects exactly like 'Hemlock Grove,'" Roth said in a statement. "Brian McGreevy's novel blew me away, and the material lends itself perfectly to long format storytelling. 'Hemlock Grove' is smart, dark, complex, and at times terrifying."
The 13-episode first season begins with a young girl having been murdered near the former Godfrey family steel mill. People of the town suspect an escapee from a biotech facility while others believe Peter, a 17-year-old kid from the wrong side of the tracks, is responsible. Skarsgard will play Roman Godfrey, an arrogant teen whose mother Olivia Godfrey (Janssen), is the controlling grande dame of Hemlock Grove.
"What's most exciting to me is creating the series for Netflix, which as a feature filmmaker is like telling a story in a new medium," Roth said.
Viewers will remember Janssen from her time on "Nip/Tuck" and as Jean Grey in three "X-Men" films. Skarsgard, the younger brother of "True Blood" star Alexander Skarsgard, will soon be seen opposite Keira Knightley and Jude Law in "Anna Karenina."
"Eli Roth is a master of this genre and Brian McGreevy's brilliant novel gives Roth a world where he can create his magic," Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix, said in a statement. "'Hemlock Grove' is a sly blend of J.D. Salinger and Mary Shelley and will appeal to a broad base of fans captivated by these rich characters and stunning visuals."
This isn't Netflix's first streaming series. "Lilyhammer," starring Steven Van Zandt, premiered in February 2012, "House of Cards" starring Kevin Spacey is in development and a new season of "Arrested Development" is set to debut in 2013 prior to the feature film.