Lifeforce TV Series Bringing Space Vampires To The Small Screen
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Between True Blood and Twilight, for a while there we had definitely hit critical mass with vampires. But you know what we don’t get very often? Space vampires. Thankfully that’s about to change, because Ringleader Studios is going to bring the cosmic bloodsuckers back down to Earth in a new TV version of the cult classic Lifeforce.
First a bit of clarification. This isn’t technically an adaptation of Lifeforce, the 1985 film directed by horror legend Tobe Hooper, but rather a series adaptation of Colin Wilson’s 1976 novel entitled, accurately enough, The Space Vampires. (Never one for subtlety is Wilson.) Lifeforce was also an adaptation of the book, but regardless of what differences the movie and show may have, I think we can be pretty damn sure they’re both going to involve space vampires in some capacity.
While Lifeforce has its fans, I can’t imagine anyone getting too twisted up over this particular remake (he says, clearly having never spent any time on the Internet). The story involves astronauts discovering a derelict alien spacecraft and then unleashing its space vampire crew of space vampires onto an unwitting humanity unprepared for space vampires. The film is remembered primarily for the fact that actress Mathilda May is naked for approximately 110% of its running time. I’m not sure if the TV series will be attempting to match or better that degree of nudity, but if so I’m betting they have Starz on speed-dial.
Ringleader Studios was founded by former Electronic Gaming Monthly editor Steve Harris, and he’ll serve as executive producer on the new Lifeforce series. They’ve apparently got big plans for Lifeforce, with Deadline reporting that the show will be accompanied by a new graphic novel, video game, and other multimedia tie-ins. Simmer down now, boys, let’s just focus on getting a show that doesn’t suck first. Well, I mean no more so than the concept demands. (Because space vampires.)
Honestly, if we’re going to have remakes constantly shoved down our throat, this is at least the sort I don’t mind, the sort where the original left ample room for improvement. I haven’t read Wilson’s book, and I’m not saying “space vampires” is the greatest concept in the history of the genre, but I’m at least going to withhold judgment until they get a writer involved. And hey, at least it isn’t space zombies.
…
Excuse me, I have to go pitch something.
Here’s a NSFW trailer for the original Lifeforce, in all its naked-space-vampire glory.
