Idiot Box: “Krypton,” The Night Stalker, “Locke & Key”

Tidbits From Around The Dial

\ May 12, 2016

3 min read

Superman Sans Superman

Not enough superheroes on TV for your taste? Well, stand by for more. Syfy has just greenlit a pilot for the Superman prequel “Krypton.” Like FOX’ “Gotham” the series will be set before its iconic superhero shows up on the scene. “Krypton” will take place on the planet Krypton (duh) two generations before the birth of Kal-El (known to us Earthlings as Superman). The main character will be Superman’s grandfather, who “fights to redeem his family’s honor and save his beloved world from chaos.” The series will be produced and written by David S. Goyer (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice). Odds are we won’t see this one until 2017.

Diamond in the Rough

Noted ’90s direct-to-video headliner (and current costar of “Longmire”) Lou Diamond Phillips will star as infamous serial killer Richard Ramirez in the upcoming TV movie The Night Stalker. The film is based on Philip Carlo’s best-selling book and is directed by Megan Griffiths (Lucky Them). The film charts a young attorney’s battle to clear a death row inmate wrongly accused of the murders Ramirez perpetrated. The film will compete at the Seattle International Film Festival on June 4 before airing on Lifetime Movie Network June 12.

Locked Down?

IDW Entertainment announced earlier this month that the company’s fan-favorite comic book property “Locke & Key” would be making the leap to television. Author/creator Joe Hill (son of Stephen King) will be writing the pilot and serving as an executive producer. The Lovecraftian horror series chronicles the adventures of three young siblings who inherit a mysterious mansion in New England—only to find that its locked doors are capable of bestowing various supernatural superpowers. Here’s hoping things turn out better for the property’s latest attempt to invade television. FOX shot a pilot back in 2011, but the network opted not to show it or pick up the series. Steven Spielberg was the producer of that one and the impressive cast included Sarah Bolger (“The Tudors”), Jesse McCartney (of boy band Dream Street), Mark Pellegrino (“Supernatural”), Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Nick Stahl (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines). IDW does not have a network lined up but is hoping to take the property “straight to series.”

Stallone Ranger

Netflix is giving Sylvester Stallone his own reality show, but sadly (or not) it isn’t the “Meet the Osbournes”-style family saga most people are expecting. “Ultimate Beastmaster” is described as the “first-ever global on-demand competition series.” Top tier competitors and athletes from around the world will go head-to-head on “one of the most physically demanding obstacle courses ever devised.” So … basically Sylvester Stallone came up with a different name for “American Ninja Warrior.” The show will have six customized local versions featuring local languages, competitors and hosts. The countries include the US, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Germany and Japan. Although it’s Stallone’s show, Terry Crews (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) will host the American version, leaving Stallone time to come up with more brilliant ideas.