Cinemax’s horror comic adaptation, Outcast, is rounding out its cast (ahem), as THR reports five new names have joined Robert Kirkman’s exorcism tale.
Based on the comic published earlier this year, Kirkman will executive produce and pen the pilot, which revolves around Patrick Fugit’s leading man, Kyle Barnes. A troubled youngster who’s been plagued by possession since he was a small boy, when he goes in search of answers to his life’s woes he uncovers a secret that could end all life as we know it. The previously-announced Philip Glenister and Gabriel Bateman will accompany Fugit as a drunk preacher and possessed boy, respectively.
Joining that initial trio are five new names destined to battle the forces of darkness for this supernatural series. Reg E. Cathy (House Of Cards), Julia Crockett (Law And Order: Criminal Intent), Allison Barnes (Let It Shine), Wrenn Schmidt (Boardwalk Empire) and Kip Pardue (Ray Donovan) were revealed by THR, who supplied a detailed run-down in a series of character profiles:
Reg E. Cathy as Giles, is Rome’s chief of police and a poker buddy of Anderson’s. Although he doesn’t believe in possession quite as strongly as Anderson, he’s seen enough to know there’s some truth to his friend’s assertions about demons.
Julia Crockett as Sarah Barns, Kyle’s mother. Filthy and raving, Sarah makes young Kyle’s life a living hell. At first, this might seem like the result of mental illness. But Kyle will come to understand that it’s something more.
Allison Barnes is Kyle’s former wife. Since she left Kyle, she’s devoted her life to raising their daughter, Amber. She lives a few counties over in Charleston, West Virginia. Thought she tries to move on from her marriage to Kyle, Allison can’t quite get over her lingering doubts about what really happened between them.
Wrenn Schmidt as Megan Holter, Kyle’s adopted sister and a child psychologist. Megan is always on a mission to fix people, especially Kyle. Although she puts up a hopeful and confident front, Megan may be as emotionally damaged as Kyle — a result of the scarred past they share.
Kip Pardue as Mark Holter, the husband of Kyle’s adopted sister, Megan. Mark is a small-town cop whose temper sometimes gets him in trouble. Despite being mildly religious, Mark is a skeptic, who would never believe in something like demonic possession.
Spearheaded by Fox International Channels, the distribution arm behind AMC’s hugely popular The Walking Dead series, Outcast looks primed to follow in the shuffling footsteps of Kirkman’s smash zombie hit. There’s no guarantees for repeat success, but the assembly of a wide-ranging character set suggests there’s a definite hint of the familiar to proceedings. Plus, with horror maestro Adam Wingard (You’re Next) directing the pilot – Outcast is definitely shaping up to be a cult classic in the making.
