After more than 25 years since their last official film appearance, the Crites from Critters are coming back, this time as a series for Verizon's go90 streaming service.
Announced at the Television Critics Association's (TCA) 2018 Winter Press Tour, Critters: A New Binge is one of two new projects that have been given a series order by Verizon's go90, with Warner Bros. Television Group's Blue Ribbon Content digital studio on board to create the series.
An adaptation of the film franchise that featured little furry space creatures known as Crites (as well as Krites), Critters: A New Binge will once again bring the hungry aliens back down to Earth, this time in search of one of their own.
Spanning four films from 1986 to 1992, the Critters franchise pitted the invading Crites against bounty hunters from outer space, often with humans stuck in the middle (or on the menu). The Critters movies blended dark humor with practical effects-driven horror that many fans still like to revisit today.
Critters: A New Binge will be directed by Jordan Rubin, who previously helmed tiny killer creatures of his own in the 2014 horror comedy Zombeavers. Rubin will write and executive produce the series along with Jon Kaplan and Al Kaplan, who both also co-wrote Zombeavers with Rubin and recently teamed up with the filmmaker for his latest horror comedy, The Drone.
We have the synopsis for the series below, as well as the official press release with full details on Critters: A New Binge, which sounds like it could be a sequel to the films (although there's no announcement yet about whether or not it will take place in the same world as the movies). We'll be sure to keep you updated on the latest details as they come in.
Critters: A New Binge synopsis: "In this series adaptation of the fan-favorite cult films, the critters return to Earth in search of one of their kin, who was left behind years ago during an earlier mission. They land in Burbank, Calif., where they wreak havoc on a group of high schoolers and their families in this new digital series written and executive produced by Jordan Rubin, Jon Kaplan and Al Kaplan."
Press Release (via The Futon Critic): BURBANK, Calif. (January 10, 2018) - Warner Bros. Television Group's digital studio Blue Ribbon Content (BRC) continues to create new and exciting original content for the digital marketplace, with two new series orders from Verizon announced today at a panel during the Television Critics Association's (TCA) 2018 Winter Press Tour on the Warner Bros. Studios lot. The new live-action comedies are Golden Revenge, from Conan O'Brien's Conaco LLC, and Critters: A New Binge, a series adaptation of the cult classic feature films. Both series will begin production in early 2018.
These two series orders continue the highly successful relationship between Verizon and BRC which began with Now We're Talking, the live-action, sports-themed comedy from UNINTERRUPTED which was recently renewed for a second season. The collaboration between the two companies continued with the scripted original digital feature Good Girls Get High, an Alloy Entertainment Production, which will premiere on the streaming video service in 2018.
"With a cast list as diverse as puppies, cats and rampaging critters, these two new shows are perfect examples of the unexpected and dynamic programming we aim to produce at Blue Ribbon Content," said Peter Girardi, Executive Vice President, Blue Ribbon Content, and Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, Warner Bros. Animation. "Verizon has been a great partner, and we can't wait for audiences to dive into these stories."
For more information on the BRC programming slate for Verizon, see below.
LIVE-ACTION COMEDY SERIES
· GOLDEN REVENGE - Golden Revenge tells the epic saga of three pets out to get even with the jerks that left them for dead in this heartwarming animal tale that quickly turns into a quest for bloody vengeance. This original comedy is directed by Tom Stern (Saul of the Mole Men, The Andy Milonakis Show), who also wrote the series with Josh Gardner (Saul of the Mole Men, MADtv). Both Stern and Gardner executive produce. Golden Revenge is produced by Retrofit Films and Conaco LLC in association with Blue Ribbon Content for Verizon.
· CRITTERS: A NEW BINGE - In this series adaptation of the fan-favorite cult films, the critters return to Earth in search of one of their kin, who was left behind years ago during an earlier mission. They land in Burbank, Calif., where they wreak havoc on a group of high schoolers and their families in this new digital series written and executive produced by Jordan Rubin, Jon Kaplan and Al Kaplan. Rubin also directs. Rupert Harvey and Barry Opper, from the original Critters film franchise, are producers. Critters: A New Binge is produced by Abominable Pictures in association with Blue Ribbon Content for Verizon.
LIVE-ACTION DIGITAL FEATURE
· GOOD GIRLS GET HIGH - With graduation looming, two academically gifted "good girls," frustrated with their social standing in the high school hierarchy, get stoned on their last night of senior year in Good Girls Get High, a new scripted original digital feature. After their evening of experimentation goes hilariously awry, they ultimately learn that being "bad girls" isn't all it's cracked up to be. The film is directed by Laura Terruso, who is also a writer along with Jennifer Nashorn Blankenship. The cast includes Sundance breakout star Abby Quinn (Landline), Stefanie Scott (Insidious: Chapter 3, Jem and the Holograms, A.N.T. Farm), Booboo Stewart (The Twilight Saga films), Isabelle Fuhrman (Masters of Sex, The Hunger Games, Orphan), Chanté Adams (Roxanne Roxanne), YouTube sensation Miles McKenna, with Lauren Lapkus (Orange Is the New Black) and Danny Pudi (Community). Les Morgenstein and Elysa Dutton serve as producers, and Tripp Reed is an executive producer. The film is an Alloy Entertainment Production in association with Blue Ribbon Content for Verizon, and is based on the book in development with Alloy Entertainment.
About Blue Ribbon Content
Formed in 2014, Warner Bros. Television Group's Blue Ribbon Content (BRC) develops and produces live-action series for digital platforms, tapping the creative talent already working at the Studio while also identifying opportunities for collaboration with new writers and producers. In addition to live-action programming, BRC produces animated content and is also experimenting with emerging platforms such as virtual reality. Live-action BRC programs include the UNINTERRUPTED comedy Now We're Talking, the comedy series Critters: A New Binge and Golden Revenge, and digital feature Good Girls Get High for Verizon; SpringHill Entertainment's basketball documentary series Best Shot for YouTube Red; comedies Beerfest and JoJoHead for CW Seed; and the live-action digital feature Daphne and Velma for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Animated BRC programs include Constantine and Freedom Fighters: The Ray for CW Seed, ellen's Pet Dish for ellentube, and Ginger Snaps for ABC Digital.
About go90
Verizon's go90 is a streaming video service bringing you the best in live sports and originals. go90 is part of Verizon's portfolio of media brands, which includes OATH brands - AOL, HuffPost, Yahoo View, Yahoo Sports - and COMPLEX Networks and more. Stream now for free from the app on iOS, Android or at go90.com.
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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