What a way to wake up!  Today James Tynion IV posted the above on his Instagram account and the SiKtC faithful burst into excitement.  It's been a year since the last news and blog entry here.  James was in Germany to meet with  producers / writers Baran bo Odar and his wife Jantje Friese.  So here are my thoughts on the photo and some additional information after chatting today with someone who is in Berlin with James.

The SiKtC show faced an important go/no go gate in the Spring.  Once the pilot episode was written, Netflix needed to decide if they would proceed with the cost of writing the first season.  This is no small investment as Baran and Jantje are reportedly making "8 figures" (>$10 million; time horizon not disclosed) as dedicated Netflix talent.  Seeing this script for Ep 102 means we're past that stage.  And I hope those scripts beneath it are 103 and 104.

After the scripts are finalized, there will be another go/no go round to decide to fully fund the development.  My source tells me that we'll know this in 5 to 6 months.  Then the real fun begins with casting and hiring all the production talent and crew.  It's possible Netflix could still cancel the show before the expensive post-production CGI and effects starts but I expect once they start filming, the fans will at least have one season to look forward to. 

James Tynion IV in Berlin, Germany.  August 13, 2024.

Yesterday, Hollywood.com published the below article.  While there really isn't much new here for the diehard SiKtC comic fan, it does address several challenges that the series will need to overcome.  The most prominent of these are differentiating from Stranger Things and the conundrum of whether to set the violence meter at a mass market rating of TV-14 and risk alienating the diehard fans (which is effectively everyone reading this right now), or to go all out and make this a Game of Thrones level slaughterfest.  My gut says they need the audience more than they need the comic crowd, even if we're frustrated we won't see epic pages like Issue 10's girl riped in half midair or Issue 22's opening splash page of Cutter's sick approach to covering up a monster sighting.  Either way, I'm sure we will all be incredibly excited to see it hit the screen!   Click the image to read the article.

I know we are all hotly awaiting news of the show’s progress. However, I had a chat with someone directly involved with the project and due to the Writers Guild of America strike, the project, like most others, is at a standstill. The strike has surpassed 100 days and now things are even muddier as the Screen Actors Guild also on strike. Here is how the situation was explained to me:

Everything in Hollywood is paused right now due to the strike. But the show is still moving full steam ahead through development. It’s early stages, but Netflix remains all-in. Because of the strike all development work in Hollywood is paused at the moment. Work will resume when the strike ends.

It’s like if you’re building a house— all the workers have walked away. You can talk about redesigning the house, picking different lighting fixtures, redesigning landscaping, etc., but no worker will show up to build the house.

Here is some more information if you want to get a better understanding of the reasons for the strike:
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The 2023 Hollywood Strike for Dummies

Netflix has commissioned Baran Bo Adar and Jante Friese, acclaimed creators of Dark and 1899, to develop a TV series adaptation of BOOM! Studios’ runaway hit series SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN. The project comes through Netflix’s first-look deal with BOOM! Studios, and will be the first TV series from Adar and Friese under a newly-signed multi-year Netflix overall eight-figure deal. 

"Bo and Jante have spent the last few years making some of the best genre television in the world" said Something is Killing the Children co-creator James Tynion IV.  "I couldn't be more thrilled that they're working to bring Erica Slaughter to life."

"I cannot imagine anyone more exciting than Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese", said co-creator Werther Dell'Edera.  "Their storytelling, direction, combined with Something is Killing the Children... wow!  I can't wait to meet their version of Erica." 

Boom! Studios’ Stephen Christy and Ross Richie continue executive-producing the adaptation, with co-creators James Tynion and Werther Dell’Edera co-executive producing.