British actor Tom Felton at the BFI London Film Festival, October 2016. Image: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP
YouTube has offered the first glimpse at its new sci-fi thriller series fronted by “Harry Potter” star Tom Felton—revealing it is an “Alien”-like horror story on an isolated ship.
“Resident Evil” director Paul W.S. Anderson is to helm “Origin,” which brings together an international roster of talent alongside Felton, the boy wizard’s conniving nemesis Draco Malfoy in all eight “Harry Potter” movies.
A teaser trailer for the 10-episode show made by Left Bank Pictures and Sony Pictures Television screened at a panel at San Diego Comic-Con given by the creators and cast on Thursday.
The show follows a group of outsiders who find themselves abandoned on a ship bound for a distant land. They have to work together for survival but quickly realize one of them is far from who they claim to be.
Felton, who also appeared in “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” will be joined in the show by fellow Potter alumnus Natalia Tena, as well as Sen Mitsuji, Nora Arnezeder, Nina Wadia, Adelayo Adedayo and Wil Coban.
Anderson produced and wrote all six “Resident Evil” movies, directing for four of them, taking the helm for “Mortal Kombat” and “Event Horizon” and writing the “Death Race” films.
The show will air on YouTube Premium, a subscription service that offers access to the company’s original content.
YouTube, which started in 2005 as a video-sharing network — still its main function — also announced a second season of the critically-acclaimed supernatural thriller “Impulse.”
Since its debut on June 6, the first episode has generated around eight million views. Season two of the 10-episode, hour-long series will premiere on YouTube Premium in 2019.
Season one starred Maddie Hasson as Henrietta “Henry” Cole, a rebellious 16-year-old girl who always felt different from her peers and longed to escape her small town.
During a traumatic event, Henry discovers she has the ability to teleport and her newfound power makes her the focus of those who want to control her.
“This dramatic thriller has all of the right elements — with unexplained events and complex characters who drew us into their mysterious world right from the start,” said Susanne Daniels, global head of original content.
“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Universal Cable Productions and the talented team at Hypnotic to create another intriguing season.” MKH
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