Welcome back to “The Week in Horror,” HitFix's ongoing series that rounds up the 10 most pertinent fright-genre stories to break over the last seven days. In this week's edition: America's favorite (second favorite?) masked slasher may be coming to network television, lots of changes are happening over at “American Horror Story” and two '90s/early '00s superstars have teamed up with one of the genre's most exciting new auteurs for a “dystopian cannibal love story.” See below for the full roundup.
1. Jason Voorhees is coming to…the CW?
Franchise creator Sean S. Cunningham told fans at the Monster Mania convention in New Jersey over the weekend that the netlet is interested in picking up a “Friday the 13th” TV series, which would take a “Scream”-esque “meta” approach by centering on the (fictional) small town that inspired the iconic slasher series. According to reports, both the fictional movie Jason and a “more serious backwoods inspired killer” would be featured in the show's plotline.
2. Jessica Lange checks out, Matt Bomer and Cheyenne Jackson check in to “American Horror Story: Hotel”
A lot to report from the show's Paleyfest session this week, including confirmation of Lange's departure after four seasons and the announcement of Bomer and Jackson's starring roles. Lady Gaga, whom Lange may or may not have thrown shade at during the Paleyfest panel, was previously announced to be starring in the new season.
[Deadline]
3. “Sleepy Hollow” lives to slay another season
FOX has renewed its bubble-y Headless Horseman series for a third season, albeit with a new showrunner — “The Glades'” Clifton Campbell — on board. He replaces Mark Goffman, who will be just fine.
4. “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” star joins AMC's “Preacher”
Ruth Negga, who plays recurring character Raina on the ABC comic-book series, has been cast in the Evan Goldberg-Seth Rogen-produced pilot as Tulip, the ex-girlfriend of lead protagonist Jesse Custer. The show is based on the DC/Vertigo comic book of the same name, which centers on a “conflicted preacher” in a small Texas town who develops special powers after becoming possessed by a supernatural creature named Genesis. Also on board: Ian Colletti (“Rake,” “Phoebe in Wonderland”) as Eugene (a.k.a. “Arseface”), a disfigured young man who shot himself in the face after becoming obsessed with Kurt Cobain. Hilarious!
[Deadline]
5. Here's the first full Season 2 trailer for “Salem”
Is it just me, or is there a “first full Season 2 trailer” for this show every four days? Lucy Lawless fierceness straight ahead.
6. Keanu Reeves and Jim Carrey join “The Bad Batch”
The '90s icons and Jason Momoa have signed on to star in the follow-up to director Ana Lily Amirpour's “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night,” a.k.a. the “first Iranian vampire Western.” The actors will play the roles of The Hermit (Carrey), The Dream (Reeves) and Miami Man (Momoa) in the film, which previously cast Diego Luna and Suki Waterhouse in the lead roles. The film, described as a “dystopian love story set in Texas,” is also something that Bradley Cooper no longer cares about.
7. “iZombie's” premiere ratings? Decent.
The new CW drama about a coroner's assistant who uses her newfound zombie powers to assist the police in solving cases had an okay ratings debut on Tuesday, averaging 2.34 million viewers and a 0.9 key demo rating — i.e. comparable numbers to what “Supernatural” scored in the same post-“Flash” timeslot. Look, it's the CW, just be glad people are watching at all.
8. “Rings” finds its male lead
Alex Roe, one of the stars of Sony's forthcoming YA adaptation “The 5th Wave,” has been cast opposite Matilda Lutz in the “Ring” franchise reboot, which is being directed by Javier Guierrez (“Before The Fall”). He'll play the role of Holt, the boyfriend of Lutz's character who “becomes distant” from her after viewing the cursed videotape. If this is anything like “The Ring 2,” I'm…out.
9. Watch the trailer for the PS4 horror-actioner “Bloodborne”
As far as I can tell, the goal of this game is to kill monsters with knives and stuff. Did I get that right? Waste all your hours with this starting next Tuesday.
10. Legendary Comics to publish “Trick 'r Treat” and “Krampus” graphic novel adaptations
Director Michael Dougherty's holiday-themed horror films (“Krampus” is set for release this December) will be adapted to the page by the studio's comic book imprint. Unfortunately you'll have to wait until October (“Trick 'r Treat”) and November (“Krampus”) for these, but in the meantime check out this bitchin' artwork.