FX has officially handed a series order to Very Young Frankenstein, a new comedy inspired by Mel Brooks’ legendary 1974 film Young Frankenstein.
The project has been floating around as one of FX’s remaining pilots, and now it’s officially alive. The series comes from the same creative team behind What We Do in the Shadows, with Stefani Robinson, Taika Waititi, and Garrett Basch executive producing alongside Brooks himself.
Robinson wrote the pilot, while Waititi directed it, which already gives this thing a chaotic comedy energy that feels like a perfect fit for the material.
The cast is loaded with great comedic talent led by Zach Galifianakis, alongside Dolly Wells and Spencer House. The supporting lineup also includes Nikki Crawford, Kumail Nanjiani, and Cary Elwes.
FX Entertainment president Nick Grad shared his excitement for the series, saying: “Very Young Frankenstein blends inspiration from the fan-favorite movie with the inventive, irreverent spirit that has defined FX comedies over the years, making this a completely original take on the classic story.
“In the hands of FX veterans Stefani, Taika and Garrett, alongside the iconic Mel Brooks, we know that fans will have as much fun watching this series as we’re having making it.”
It sounds like the goal here is to channel the spirit of Brooks’ comedy while carving out its own weird identity. Considering what the What We Do in the Shadows crew pulled off with vampires, there’s a good chance they can pull something hilariously strange out of Frankenstein lore too.
The original Young Frankenstein remains one of Brooks’ best films and one of the greatest parody comedies ever made. Directed by Brooks and co-written with Gene Wilder, the movie lovingly spoofed the Universal monster films of the 1930s and ’40s.
Wilder starred as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, a man trying desperately to distance himself from his infamous family legacy, only to get dragged right back into the madness.
The film’s cast became comedy royalty thanks to performances from Peter Boyle as the Monster, Marty Feldman as Igor, Cloris Leachman as Frau Blücher, Madeline Kahn, Teri Garr, and Brooks himself voicing Victor Frankenstein.
Very Young Frankenstein joins several other pilots that recently scored series orders, including the Snowfall spinoff starring Gail Bean and Isaiah John, the family drama Seven Sisters with Elizabeth Olsen, along with Disinherited from Better Call Saul co-creator Peter Gould starring Victoria Pedretti and Kiera Allen.
No release date has been announced yet, but this is easily one of the more interesting comedy projects heading to FX and Hulu. Galifianakis in a Frankenstein-inspired comedy created by the What We Do in the Shadows team already sounds like a recipe for wonderfully unhinged television.
Source: Deadline
