I have learned that Syfy is developing Nightbreed, a TV series based on Clive Barker’s short-story collection Cabal, which the prominent horror writer and visual artist previously adapted as the 1990 movie Nightbreed.

The project hails from Barker (Hellraiser, Candyman, Weaveworld), writer Josh Stolberg (Jigsaw, Piranha), Morgan Creek Entertainment, whose feature division produced the Nightbreed movie, and Universal Cable Prods.

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Written by Stolberg, Nightbreed explores race relations in America, only the races are Humans and Monsters. It follows a group of underground half-human/half-monsters seeking to find a new refuge and home after their original hiding place is destroyed. Leading these efforts is a recently turned reluctant hero who not only is adjusting to his new supernatural status but also is dealing with the grief and mystery surrounding the death of his fiancée. Will this group band together despite being hunted and persecuted by humans who find their “otherness” to be frightening?

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Executive producing the potential series are James G. Robinson, David Robinson and Barbara Wall for Morgan Creek and Barker and Mark Miller via Seraphim FIlms.

“This story has been near to my heart for many years,” Barker said. “I’m at beyond thrilled that SyFy and UCP are taking this journey with us, and I cannot wait to see it brought to life on the screen.”

Barker’s postmodern graphic novel Cabal originally was published in 1988 as part of a collection comprising a novel and several short stories in Volume 6 of his Books of Blood. The 1990 movie adaptation, which Barker wrote and directed, starred Craig Sheffer and David Cronenberg.

“There has never been a more relevant time for us to turn to one of the genre’s great cult classics from our movie library to impact the national conversation with bold, compelling and unconventional storytelling,” said David Robinson, President of Morgan Creek Entertainment Group. “The team at Morgan Creek is very excited to partner with Clive Barker, Syfy and Universal Cable Productions on Nightbreed for a unique, trenchant and no-holds-barred exploration of race relations in today’s society. As a sophisticated twist on the classic graphic novel form, Nightbreed pits ‘Humans’ against persecuted monsters, using metaphor and parable to take on bias and prejudice with real-world consequences.”

Syfy

Nighbreed was one of several movie library titles Morgan Creek set out to exploit as the company rebranded itself last fall and signaled a push in TV, features and digital. Other films that the company is rebooting are Ace Ventura, Major League, Young Guns, Dead Ringers, Diabolique and Pacific Heights .

Stolberg previously adapted Barker’s 1987 dark fantasy novel Weaveworld as a drama series, which was in development at the CW.

David Nochimson of the Ziffren Brittenham firm repped Morgan Creek and Seraphim in the deal. Stolberg is repped by UTA and Circle of Confusion. IPG agent Larry Bescey reps Barker and Seraphim.