Rebecca Thomas’ live-action version of “The Little Mermaid” starring Chloë Grace Moretz is currently in pre-production, but it looks like we’ll soon be seeing mer-folk on-screen in another medium: TV. Variety reports that Freeform has greenlit “The Deep,” a new mermaid-centric pilot.
Emily Whitesell (“Finding Carter,” “Brothers & Sisters”) will serve as showrunner for the hour-long drama. But a warning to fans of star-crossed lovers: the plot for the series sounds decidedly more violent and less romantic than Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” — hell, even Hans Christian Anderson’s. Variety writes that “The Deep” is set in a coastal town “known for its legend of once being home to mermaids. When the arrival of a mysterious girl proves this folklore all too true, the battle between man and sea takes a very vicious turn as these predatory beings return to reclaim their right to the ocean.”
While there’s no word on casting just yet, production is expected to launch this September in Vancouver.
“’The Deep’ is a very different show than one would expect when they hear the word ‘mermaid’ — the mermaid tale has been reinvented in this pilot,” said Karey Burke, Freeform’s executive vice president of programming and development. “The writing is thrilling, stories complex and scary, and we are excited to explore the themes of obsession and violence through these amazing creatures.” So don’t expect the mermaids to bear witness to song and dance numbers from crustaceans this time around.
Freeform has a number of new original series in the works, including I. Marlene King’s “Famous in Love,” centered on a college student who becomes an overnight Hollywood sensation, and “Issues,” which is based on the life of Cosmo editor Joanna Coles.
