Deal puts 'Umbrella Academy' on TV track

Bill Keveney | USA TODAY

The Umbrella Academy could be headed to the small screen, courtesy of a new entertainment deal between cable and comic-book powers.

Universal Cable Productions, known for such shows as Syfy's 12 Monkeys and Dominion and USA Network's Royal Pains and Mr. Robot, today announced a first-look deal with comic-book publisher Dark Horse Entertainment (The Mask, Hellboy). The companies plan to develop and produce scripted shows based on titles from Dark Horse's comic-book library, as well as new material.

The Umbrella Academy, created by My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way, is one of four projects in development under the deal. Others include: Harrow County, Back Up and Concrete.

Fittingly, the new arrangement germinated from discussions that began last year at Comic-Con, the giant entertainment gathering in San Diego. Comic-Con 2015 begins Wednesday.

"One of the reasons we went with Dark Horse was not so much the specific intellectual property they represent, but the people who were creating it. I'd rather be in business with a brilliant person than with a great idea," Universal Cable Productions chief Jeff Wachtel tells USA TODAY. "We're going big titles and big ideas. There's no question that in a crowded market having a big title helps you break through the clutter. But the real key is finding the people who make the stuff up. One of the great things about Dark Horse is that it's such a fertile factory of imagination."

"As the landscape of narrative storytelling evolves, Dark Horse is thrilled to be working in the golden age of television with Universal Cable Productions. Their creative team has embraced the spirit of the Dark Horse brand and we're proud to be partnered with them." Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson said in a statement accompanying Tuesday's announcement.

In the announcement release, the companies listed and described projects in development. They include:

The Umbrella Academy – "Nine years after parting ways, the estranged members of the Umbrella Academy, a dysfunctional family of superheroes with bizarre powers, must figure out how to work together to save the world. Created by Gerard Way (The True Lies of the Fabulous Killjoys) and Gabriel Ba (Daytripper), Bluegrass films is also attached to executive produce." (In an earlier arrangement, Umbrella Academy was in development as a film at Universal Pictures.)

Harrow County – "Emmy has always known that the deep, dark woods surrounding her home crawled with ghosts, goblins, and the restless dead. On the eve of her 18th birthday, she learns that she is connected to these creatures and to the land itself in a way she never imagined, for she is the reincarnation of a powerful witch who was put to death on the very day Emmy was born. For this reason, the townsfolk mean to kill her too. In order to survive, Emmy must embrace the unusual powers at her command. This project is based on the new book written by Cullen Bunn (The Damned, The Sixth Gun) and illustrated by Tyler Crook (Bad Blood)."

Back Up – "In the near future, a new technology allows people to be backed up the same way we now back up our computers – but instead of protecting against drive failure, these backups protect against death. This project is based on a feature script by Tom Vaughn. Kenny Golde is set to write and executive produce. Brad Anderson (Zoo, Almost Human) is in negotiations to direct."

Concrete – "After his subconscious is transplanted into a hulking stone body, Ronald Lithgow must come to terms with his new form and try to live a normal life. This Eisner award-winning title is the opus of Paul Chadwick."