Clone Club will soon be back in session. Deadline reports “Orphan Black,” the feminist sci-fi series that marked Tatiana Maslany’s breakout, is getting a spinoff at AMC+ and AMC Networks’ other linear networks. The 10-episode first season of “Orphan Black: Echoes” will arrive next year.
Set in the near future, “Echoes” hails from Anna Fishko (“Pieces of Her”), who will serve as showrunner and exec producer with original series co-creator John Fawcett. The spinoff “takes a deep dive into the exploration of the scientific manipulation of human existence,” according to its logline. “It follows a group of women as they weave their way into each other’s lives and embark on a thrilling journey, unravelling the mystery of their identity and uncovering a wrenching story of love and betrayal.”
Original EPs David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg will exec produce for Boat Rocker.
A Peabody recipient, “Orphan Black” ran for five seasons, from 2013-2017, on BBC America. Maslany won an Emmy and nabbed two additional nods for her portrayal of a dozen or so characters who share identical DNA but have very different personalities, beliefs, and backgrounds. The series follows the main quartet of the so-called Clone Club — Sarah, Cosima, Alison, and Helena — as they investigate where they came from and why they were created, attempt to learn more about a clone who took her own life, and try to foil the amoral, self-aware clone Rachel.
Clone Club is also the name of the “Orphan Black” fandom.
“’Orphan Black’ had a remarkable run on BBC America, attracting millions of dedicated and highly engaged fans, captivated by a smart and engrossing story and a star-making and Emmy-winning performance by Tatiana Maslany,” stated Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. “We can’t wait to dive back in with Anna, John, and our partners at Boat Rocker and deliver an all-new version of this rich world that is worthy of the #CloneClub.”
“We started our journey down the ‘Orphan Black’ rabbit hole when Sarah Manning watched Beth Childs inexplicably jump in front of an oncoming train. Since then, a passionate fandom has joined us for a wildly entertaining ride,” said Fortier and Schneeberg. “We’re delighted to be partnering with AMC and Anna Fishko and joining forces again with John Fawcett, to boldly reenter the ‘Orphan Black’ universe. Once again, we welcome Clone Club along for the ride and look forward to adventuresome new fans taking the leap. Strap yourselves in and hold on!”
