“The Vampire Diaries” creators Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson’s planned adaptation of the comic book series “Dead Day” has been scrapped at Peacock.
The project was ordered straight-to-series a year ago, with the pair to serve as writers, executive producers, and co-showrunners on the Universal Television-produced series. The plan now is to shop the show around to other outlets.
The story follows an ensemble of characters as they navigate the annual ‘dead day,’ when for one night, the dead come back to complete unfinished business, be that to celebrate a night back on earth or to torment the living.
The news comes in the wake of Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre’s series adaptation “Vampire Academy” also being cancelled by Peacock after one season. Plec is staying busy and has several series in the works, including “The Girls on the Bus” at HBO Max and “Freeman” at Peacock.
Peacock is said to be resetting its programming strategy in the future, ordering more binge-able comedies and event-series-type dramas following the success of “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” and the universal acclaim for Rian Johnson’s recently launched “Poker Face”.
There have been some big shifts at the streamer, such as a planned “Field of Dreams” series from Mike Schur being shut down despite a previous straight-to-series pick-up.
The streamer also recently picked up the dramedy “Cleo,” which is set in ancient Egypt and follows a young Cleopatra navigating a man’s world. That project hails from “Jane the Virgin” developer/showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman.
Peacock reportedly has 20 million paid subscribers as of the end of the fourth quarter of last year and, per CNBC, expects losses to total $3 billion for Peacock in 2023.
Source: Variety
