Frankenstein Untold Series Set to Be a "Radical Reimagining" of Mary Shelley Novel
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein might be one of the most ubiquitous stories in popular culture — and it looks like it's about to get a major new adaptation in television. On Tuesday, Sky Deutschland, the German unit of Comcast's Sky, announced their new slate of upcoming programming. Among the list of shows in development will be Frankenstein Untold, a live-action series described as a "radical reimagining" of Shelley's 1818 science-fiction novel. The series will be created by director Philipp Stölzl (The Royal Game, North Face), who is currently developing the series with producers Neue Schönhauser Film (Back on Track).
Frankenstein Untold will take Shelley's novel as a jumping-off point to explore the book's philosophical and political themes, with the story, set in 1816, told through the eyes of eight different characters. It is unclear at this point if and how the series will be distributed stateside, much less when the series will debut on Sky Deutschland.
Other series announced for Sky Deutschland's slate will include the seven-part post-apocalyptic sci-fi series Helgoland 513: 2034, which will be helmed by R.E.D. and Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins director Robert Schwenkte. The series imagines a world in which the North Sea island of Helgoland has become the last safe haven for humanity. But the totalitarian society in charge dictates that only 513 people be allowed to live on the island, with every resident given a "social ranking" according to their "usefulness." All the while, a dangerous force from the mainland is preparing to invade and conquer Helgoland. There's also Huntsville AL, created by Achim v. Borries (Babylon Berlin), Ron Leshem and Amit Cohen (Valley of Tears), and Nadav Schirman (The Green Prince). The 1950s-set drama is inspired by the true stories of the Nazi German engineers and their families who, after World War II, were recruited by the U.S. military for a secret missile project in a sleepy Alabama town that became the basis of America's space industry.
Frankenstein has had a unique track record on television, with countless titles over the years attempting to bring narrative pieces of Shelley's story onto the small screen. Notable ones have included the animated series Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles, Penny Dreadful, and Second Chance.
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