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WIRE Buzz: Netflix orders DeadEndia; Into the Dark gets presidential; more

By Josh Weiss
DeadEndia

Netflix has teamed up with Blink Industries for DeadEndia, a 2D animated series based on the Dead End graphic novels (and subsequent web videos) by Hamish Steele.

Blending horror and comedy, Dead End follows Barney, Norma, and magical-talking-dog Pugsley, who battle supernatural forces in the theme park haunted house where they work. The trio's guide to the underworld is a cynical demon named Courtney. Together, per the release, "they'll face zombie mascots, demonic game show hosts, sleep-sucking witches and the scariest thing of all: their first crushes!"

The voice cast includes: Zach Barack ("Barney"), Kody Kavitha ("Norma"), Emily Osment ("Courtney"), Alex Brightman ("Pugsley"), Clinton Leupp aka Miss Coco Peru ("Pauline Phoenix"), Kenny Tran ("Logs"), and Kathreen Khavari ("Badyah").

DeadEndia key art

"DeadEndia is about terrifying demons, vengeful ghosts and mysterious magic. It is also about coming of age in a world that wasn’t made for you. It’s a drama about found family, identity and making mistakes. And of course it’s a laugh out loud comedy!" Steele said in a statement. "I’ve always dreamed of making the show I needed as a lonely, horror-obsessed closeted gay kid and thanks to Netflix and our ridiculously talented, diverse and representative writers room and crew, we have shot way past my dreams and into wildest fantasy territory!"

The comic's been praised for its poignant depiction of early adulthood and diverse characters. For example, Barney is a transgender teen, while Norma is neurodiverse.

Produced at Blink's London headquarters, DeadEndia is slated to hit Netflix sometime next year.


Into the Dark is getting political for its July installment, The Current Occupant. The episode follows a man with amnesia (The Loudest Voice's Barry Watson), who finds himself in a psychiatric ward with no means of escape. He soon comes to believe that he's the president of the United States and the subject of a dark conspiracy.

The Current Occupant was directed by Walking Dead and Battlestar Galactica vet Julius Ramsay. Its script was written by Alston Ramsay, a former D.C. speechwriter for Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, General David Petraeus, and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson.

Check out the trailer and start questioning your reality:

Sonita Henry (Krypton), Marvin "Krondon" Jones III (Black Lightning), Lilli Birdsell (Doom Patrol), Kate Cobb (Scandal), Ezra Buzzington (Crossbones), and Joshua Burge (The Revenant) co-star.

The Current Occupant checks into Hulu Friday, July 17.


I've got you, babe ... A Groundhog Day TV series is reportedly in the works, according to none other than Ned "The Head" Ryerson actor Stephen Tobolowsky.

"I was working on Goldbergs or Schooled, one of those shows over on the Sony lot, and one of them saw me and goes, 'Stephen! We're working on a Groundhog Day TV show. Could you be Ned for the TV show?' I go, 'Sure, yeah, no problem,'" Tobolowsky recounted on The Production Meeting podcast.

On the latest episode of THE PRODUCTION MEETING, veteran character actor Stephen Tobolowsky teases a possible "Groundhog Day" TV series. Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify!

Posted by The Production Meeting Podcast on Thursday, July 2, 2020

This could be an interesting project, but since this is the first we're hearing about it, there are literally no other details to report on at this time. All we have are questions like: Will the show also try to recruit Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott as well? Who will be the main character(s)? How do you sustain a time loop concept for multiple episodes?

SYFY WIRE has reached out to Sony for comment.

Murray and Tobolowsky recently reprised their iconic roles for a Groundhog Day Super Bowl commercial.