R-Rated Castlevania TV Series Coming to Netflix in 2017

As much as video games had advanced as an art form over the years, many video game to movie/TV adaptions unfortunately fall too short of expectations. The producers for the upcoming Castlevania TV series aims to change that with their upcoming new show to be released on Netflix in 2017 however. Producer Adi Shankar, known for creating “bootleg” fan films on YouTube such as Punisher: Dirty Laundry and Power/Rangers, has said on his Facebook page that the new adaptation will be “R-Rated as F*CK” and will be in the vein of Game of Thrones.

Shankar is joined by Fred Seibert and Kevin Colde who share co-producer credits and are animation veterans. Famed English comic book writer Warren Ellis of Transmetropolitan, Hellbazer and also wrote the previously cancelled Castlevania movie adaptations is on board as the series writer. Animation duties will be handled by Canadian Michael Hirsh and his Wow Unlimited Media.

Two seasons of the show has already been planned and expected to launch in Q4 2017 followed by the second season a year later. Each episode is 30 minutes long and each season will be broken up to four parts. While the show itself follows the vein of the Castlevania storyline and draws from the game franchise’s history, the story will revolve around a Belmont descendant rather than an existing character.

A Castlevania full-feature film has been in development hell since it was acquired by Crystal Sky Pictures in 2005. It has since changed hands and had several drafts and storylines changed when the producers could not agree on the direction. The writer’s strike of 2007 halted much of the earlier development until it was officially killed off in 2009, only to be brought back again in development in 2012 by Saw creator James Wan who penned a new draft. Shortly after, however rumours began to circle that development was handed to Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil movie series) who was actually the first director attached to the project in 2005 was still interested in the project but issues about the rights to the title halted any further development.