Horror heavyweight Eli Roth is best known for spine-tingling flicks like Hostel and Cabin Fever, but he’s dabbled in the world of television before. Last year, Roth executive-produced all 13 episodes of Netflix’s Hemlock Grove, a show that, despite its mixed reception, has been renewed for a second season (due to drop this July). Now, with his long-anticipated The Green Inferno primed to hit theaters in September, Roth is jumping back into the small screen for South of Hell.
Roth will direct the pilot episode of the horror thriller, which is set to premiere on WE tv sometime next year. If the network sounds unfamiliar, that’s because WE tv is known primarily for reality shows like Bridezillas and Obsessed with the Dress. It will premiere its first scripted series, legal drama The Divide, in July.
In addition to directing the pilot, Roth will executive-produce, alongside Jason Blum, Gerard Bocaccio, Stewart Till and Gene Stein. No actors are yet attached, but Dexter writer/executive-producer James Manos Jr. is on board as showrunner.
WE tv President Marc Juris released an official statement, saying:
“As WE tv moves firmly into scripted programming, we are committed to presenting distinctive and engaging stories to today’s savvy TV audience. That is certainly the case with South of Hell, a dramatic thriller that introduces viewers to an unforgettable character, supernatural themes and the battle between good and evil.”
The official logline for South of Hell reads:
Savannah, Ga., is an elusive city with many faces and the perfect home for Maria Abascal, a stunning, 30-year-old demon-hunter-for-hire. Alongside her brother, David, she is skilled and fearless in her pursuit of the demons that live in others. Like those that she hunts, Maria is divided within herself, struggling with her own demon, Abigail, who resides inside of her, feeding on the evil Maria exorcises from others. Maria and Abigail share a soul and a destiny, but as Maria desperately tries to overtake Abigail, she will discover how far Abigail will go to remain a part of her.”
We’ll have to wait a while to see if South of Hell is worth watching, but the talent involved with it certainly gives us reason to hope that the show could turn into something special.