Upfronts 2013: Syfy Sets Horror Anthology Series From Jamie Foxx

Net also developing ‘Ringworld,' ‘Childhood's End' miniseries

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/10/2013 5:15:49 PM

Complete Coverage: Upfronts 2013

Jamie Foxx will executive produce, write and direct a five-episode horror anthology series to premiere as part of the Syfy's annual Halloween programming marathon this October, the network announced as part of its upfront presentation on Wednesday. 

From Universal Cable Productions and Foxxhole Productions, the half-hour series will tell creepy morality tales in the vein of TV classics like Tales from the Crypt and The Twilight Zone.

The network is also developing two classic science fiction novels -- Larry Niven's Ringworld and Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End -- into miniseries, joining the previously announced The Man in the High Castle, Eyes of the Dragon and Darkfall on Syfy's long-form slate.

Ringworld, about space explorers investigating an alien artifact, is being developed as a four-hour miniseries as a co-production of MGM Television and Universal Cable Productions. Childhood's End, about a peaceful alien invasion of Earth by mysterious Overlords, is also from UCP with Michael DeLuca as executive producer.

Additionally, Syfy is developing the series No Place, about residents of a high-tech gated community who awaken one morning to find themselves cut off from the rest of the world. The series is based on the Top Cow comic book The Test and is from Fox Television Studios and executive producers Robert Zemeckis and Jack Rapke with Circle of Confusion and Top Cow also producing. John Brancato and Michael Ferris will write the pilot.

The network has also begun production on the pilot for High Moon, an adaptation of the best-selling novel The Lotus Caves, from executive producer/writer Bryan Fuller (Hannibal) and Universal Cable Productions.
 
Finally, Syfy issued renewals for paranormal unscripted series Ghost Mine for a second season of 12 episodes to premiere in September and Being Human for a fourth season of 13 episodes for 2014.

The NBCUniversal-owned cable network is holding its upfront presentation for advertisers on Wednesday evening at Chelsea Piers in New York.