The upcoming Child’s Play movie reboot has been a subject of much controversy among longtime fans of the horror series, not least because Don Mancini was already planning a Chucky TV show that kept in line with the original, decades-spanning continuity of the franchise. But in spite of this unexpected big screen competition, it seems that Mancini, producer David Kirschner, and writer-producer Nick Antosca are pushing ahead with the project, and according to Deadline, Syfy has now landed the rights to develop the show.
NBCU Cable Entertainment’s President of Scripted Content Bill McGoldrick had some enthusiastic words to share about the development, singling out the involvement of Mancini as a particular cause for excitement.
“It’s very rare that you get the opportunity to bring such an iconic character to your network, let alone with the original creator attached,” said McGoldrick. “We look forward to working with Don, David and Nick on putting their blood, sweat, and more blood into bringing the Chucky story to television.”
Mancini himself seems happy with the arrangement, too, stating that he’s long wanted to bring the Child’s Play property to the small screen due to the freedom that the format allows.
“I’ve long wanted to bring Chucky to television and Syfy is the perfect network for us,” the writer said today. “The show will be a fresh take on the franchise, allowing us to explore Chucky’s character with a depth that is uniquely afforded by the television series format, while staying true to the original vision that has terrorized audiences for over three decades now.”
While Mancini and Kirschner have been involved in the franchise since the very beginning, Antosca is a relative newcomer to the series, though the writer has previously worked with Mancini on other horror properties such as Hannibal and Channel Zero. In the Deadline piece, Antosca claims that Syfy is “the perfect place to tell the next chapter in the Chucky saga,” and it seems that Chucky himself agrees, since the demonic doll has issued a statement of his own that explains his move to television:
“In these troubled times, I believe it’s my obligation as a horror icon to reach the widest possible audience, on TV. For over thirty years, I’ve been scaring the sh*t out of you. But now at Syfy, I look forward to really making a difference.”
As it stands, details on the Chucky TV series remain vague, though Mancini and Kirschner did mention last year that they intend to introduce new characters while also bringing the saga back to its roots. Time will tell what exactly the pair have in mind, but before the show makes its premiere, the Child’s Play reboot will be hoping to win over skeptics when the film hits theaters on June 21st, 2019.