Coming to ITV this Sunday is Charlie Higson’s new superhero take on Jekyll & Hyde.
Its 19th Century literature with a modern superhero twist, and fully intends to take over Sunday-night family viewing.
Heres what we learned… Any steam-punk elements were apparently a no-go area on account ofPenny Dreadfuland Guy RitchiesSherlockHolmesfilms having recently been released.
Bonus theres also one episode that features someone with a giant lobster claw.
Its very much one of those books that pulled horror into the modern world.
And its psychological horror its about the monster in all of us.
It struck me that in some ways its the archetypal superhero story, Higson said.
And thats certainly an idea thats been nicked by Marvel.
You could open it out into more of an action-adventure superhero story.
More of a Hugh Grant bang out.
The mythology has been overhauled, but little clues and references have been scattered throughout, Higson assures us.
Contacting Higson with this vague outline, they apparently went for the first half-idea he pitched.
Ten hours that they would be able to sell around the world.
and they said, Brilliant!
Can you write us a treatment?.
Indeed, its been scheduled at 6.30pm, making it a true teatime family drama.
I think two things conspired against us, he said.
Thats become how we judge British drama how real was it?
This is hardly the first retelling of the Stevensons novel, and it certainly wont be the last.
Most recent television interpretations include NBCs ill-receivedDo No Harmin 2013, and Steven Moffatts six-episode BBC series,Jekyll.
