Showtime is tapping a horror movie ace to direct its upcoming drama series Penny Dreadful.
Two-time Goya Award winner Juan Antonio Bayona has signed on to direct the first two episodes of the monster drama, Showtime announced Tuesday.
The eight-episode drama revolves around some of literature's famed monsters including Dr. Frankenstein and his creature, Dorian Gray and figures from the Dracula, weaving together classic horror origin stories as the characters grapple with their monstrous alienation.
Penny Dreadful was created by three-time Oscar nominee John Logan (Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator), who is on board to write and executive produce alongside Academy Award winner Sam Mendes and Neal Street's Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road). The psycho-sexual horror series will begin production in the fall in London.
Bayona's credits include The Impossible andThe Orphanage. He's repped by CAA.
Showtime ordered the period drama straight to series in January.
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