TNT has given a straight-to-series order to Ridley Scott’s (The Martian, Blade Runner) Raised By Wolves, a serialized sci-fi series, with Scott set to direct in his TV helming debut, from Scott’s Scott Free Productions, Turner’s Studio T and Madhouse Entertainment. Aaron Guzikowski, the visionary behind the acclaimed film Prisoners, will serve as showrunner as well as a writer.

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Raised by Wolves centers upon two androids tasked with raising human children on a mysterious virgin planet. As the burgeoning colony of humans threatens to be torn apart by religious differences the androids learn that controlling the beliefs of humans is a treacherous and difficult task.

Scott, Guzikowski, David W. Zucker (The Man in the High Castle) and Jordan Sheehan (The Terror), and Madhouse Entertainment’s Adam Kolbrenner (Prisoners) and Robyn Meisinger (Prisoners) serve as executive producers. Scott Free produces in association with Turner’s Studio T and Madhouse Entertainment. Turner International will distribute the series internationally.

TNT

“I’m always searching for new frontiers in the sci-fi genre and have found a true original in Raised by Wolves – a wholly distinct and imaginative world, full of characters struggling with existential questions: What makes us human? What constitutes a family? And what if we could start over again and erase the mess we’ve made of our planet? Would we survive? Would we do better?” said Scott. “Given TNT’s impressive run of bold, quality programming, this feels like exactly the right home for this kind of ambitious television.”

The project marks the return to the network for the prolific director and producerScott, who served as executive producer on TNT’s award-winning CIA miniseries The Company in 2007. Scott joins Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman), who is producing the upcoming suspense limited series, I Am the Night, this January, as well as futuristic sci-fi thriller Snowpiercer (showrunner Graeme Manson) and the morally-complex drama Tell Me Your Secrets (Bruna Papandrea, Harriet Warner), which are scheduled for summer 2019.

Guzikowski penned the screenplay for recently released Bleecker Street indie Papillon, starring Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek.

“Ridley Scott is simply the best there is in the sci-fi genre,” said Sarah Aubrey, executive vice president of original programming for TNT. “Besides directing some of the most important sci-fi films of all-time, Ridley has created iconic characters from Alien’s Ripley to Prometheus’ Elizabeth Shaw. We’re thrilled to have Ridley do the same for us as we look forward to his vision of Aaron’s complex and futuristic Mother. It’s incredibly rare to be able to make television that both challenges one’s intellect and also thrills the excited fangirl side—Raised by Wolves is that rare show that does both.”

“Ridley Scott’s movies have always been a part of my life and a huge inspiration in my work,” said Guzikowski. “So getting the opportunity to work with him and TNT on a story that is so near and dear to my heart is truly a dream come true.”