Vera Farmiga Cast in Bates Motel TV Series

A&E recently committed to a 10-episode first season order for the Psycho prequel series Bates Motel and have the first bit of casting news.

According to Deadline, Vera Farmiga (The Departed, Orphan, pictured bel0w) will play Norman Bates' mother, Norma.

While there are not many details on what we can expect from her character at the moment, she's described as a "passionate, and compelling, a smart, multidimensional character who is always capable of surprising us." That doesn't tell us much, but we expect that some of these surprises will reveal more about what happens to Norma and her part in Norman's unusual personality traits.

Lost showrunner Carlton Cuse has teamed up with Kerry Ehrin to work on the series. Both will act as executive producers and are involved in the creative side of the project. While a firm release date has not been set, but the show will premiere some time in 2013. Here is the previously released synopsis:

“Bates Motel” serves as a prequel to the most famous fright film of all-time, “Psycho.” A&E is currently in script development. “Bates Motel” will give viewers an intimate understanding of how Norman Bates’ psyche developed from his childhood through his teen years. Fans will have access to the dark, twisted backstory and learn first hand how his mother, Norma, and her lover damaged Norman, helping forge the most well-known serial killing motel owner in history.