Horror-comedy star (and Comic-Con royalty) Bruce Campbell has teamed with King Of The Nerds executive producers Craig Armstrong and Rick Ringbakk of 5X5 Media for a horror-themed, off-beat comedic competition series project. Tentatively titled Bruce Campbell’s Horrified, the series, which is being shopped to networks, is envisioned as a celebration of horror fans through a comedic and irreverent lens, similarly to the way TBS’ King Of The Nerds did it for people who proudly identify themselves as nerds. Campbell would host and executive produce alongside 5X5 Media’s Armstrong, Ringbakk and Charles Wachter. 5X5 is producing with Warner Horizon TV, where the company is under a deal.

The concept is still being fine-tuned but I hear the contestants would live together, possibly in a haunted house-type of residence, and will compete in a series of team and individual challenges, with each episode themed around a horror sub-genre, like monster, sci-fi, psychological, zombie, etc., completed with decors, costumes and visual effects associated with that genre.

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Like in King Of The Nerds, “we hope to bring celebrities associated with that genre as judges” in the respective episodes, Armstrong said. As for the contestant casting process, it also will be similar to King Of The Nerds, with the show looking for “die-hard, obsessive, funny, bigger than life characters in the horror space.”

Armstrong said that when he and Rickbakk started discussing the idea of a show that takes a fun approach to the horror genre, “the only one person who entered our mind was Bruce Campbell.” They reached out to him with low expectations as Campbell has a full-time job as star and executive producer on Starz’s Ash vs. The Evil Dead series. But he was interested, met with the producers, and he had a lot of ideas, Armstrong said.

“From where I’m sitting, this is the first time a reality series has melded competition and comedy with the fun and fear of the horror genre,” Campbell said. “It’s a sweet spot I love and to pull it off takes a team of creative, industrious and slightly insane people – which is, of course, why I wanted to do it!”

Added Armstrong and Ringbakk, “Producing a horror-centric competition show, infused with comedy and brought to audiences by the inimitable Bruce Campbell, is a home run for us.” The duo founded Emmy-winning production company 5X5 Media, whose credits also include Fashion Star and Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.

5X5 Media is repped by APA; Campbell is repped by APA and Jacobson Russell.