An exciting update for Netflix’s adaptation of the award-winning Dark Horse Comics series Grendel comes from its creator Matt Wagner. Netflix revealed it was developing a Grendel project back in September 2021, with Abubakr Ali (Katy Keene) set to star in the title role of Hunter Rose / Grendel. The series will run for eight episodes, and Supernatural‘s Andrew Dabb will serve as writer and showrunner. At the time a release date wasn’t revealed, but Grendel creator Matt Wagner is now giving fans a firmer timeframe for when they can expect to see the vigilante debut on the streaming service.
“GRENDEL–coming this year from Netflix! #Grendel #Netflix #DarkhorseComics,” Wagner wrote on Twitter. He also shared artwork from the creator-owned series. So while a specific release window was not announced, we at least know Grendel will stream on Netflix sometime before 2022 comes to a close.
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Grendel was the masked identity of Hunter Rose, a successful author who moonlighted as an assassin, and intended to mete out vengeance to New York’s criminal underworld, before eventually realizing that with his skills and resources, he could simply take it over instead. Later stories featured the adventures of Christine Spar, Hunter’s posthumous biographer, assuming the identity of Grendel to pursue a mission of revenge, and later those of her boyfriend Brian Li Sung, who didn’t last long in the role, and whose story didn’t end well.
The logline for Netflix’s Grendel reads: “Based on Matt Wagner’s groundbreaking comic book series, Grendel follows Hunter Rose, a gifted fencer, writer and assassin as, seeking to avenge the death of a lost love, he goes to war with New York’s criminal underworld, only to realize…why beat them, when you can join them?”
Joining Abubakr Ali are Jaime Ray Newman (Dopesick, The Time Traveler’s Wife) as “Jocasta Rose,” Julian Black Antelope (The Flash, Debris) as “Argent,” Madeline Zima (Californication, Hacks) as “Liz Sparks,” Kevin Corrigan (Scenes from an Empty Church, The Get Down) as “Barry Palumbo, Emma Ho (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, The Expanse) as “Stacy Palumbo,” Erik Palladino (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Watchmen) as “Teddy Ciccone,” Brittany Allen (What Keeps You Alive) as “Annabelle Wright,” and Andy Mientus (The Flash, Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings) as “Larry Stohler.”ย
“I couldn’t be more thrilled about the Grendel saga, one of the longest-running independent comics series, finally being translated into live-action for the screen,” Wagner said when Grendel was first announced. “Under the sharp guidance of showrunner Andrew Dabb, our incredible creative team, sure-to-be stellar cast and Dark Horse Entertainment have teamed with Netflix to produce this provocative adaptation that will bring my characters and concepts to an all new audience and yet still provide excitement and surprises for die-hard fans. I’m especially excited to see Abubakr Ali bring the character of Grendel/Hunter Rose to life — he has the charisma, style and vital edginess that I’ve been envisioning in the role for years.”ย
