Wrecked: BBC Three announces new comedy horror series featuring gay teen lead
The new six-part series from the creators of Russell Tovey chiller 'The Sister' has been described as 'Scream' meets 'The Shining'.
By Will Stroude
Words: Will Stroude
BBC Three has commissioned a new six-part comedy-horror series from the producers of Russell Tovey ITV chiller The Sister – and what’s more, it’ll feature a gay lead.
Wrecked, a new six-part series from writer Ryan J. Brown, is set to go into production later this year before premiering on BBC Three via BBC iPlayer.
Set aboard a luxury cruise ship, Wrecked is heavily influenced by classics of the horror and teen slasher genres and follows 19-year-old Jamie, who takes a job working as part of the crew on the same vessel his sister went mysteriously missing from during a previous trip.
According to an official synopsis, “Jamie is initiated into cruise life and gets a crash course on the teen tribes within the staff: the theatre kids, the drop-outs, the low-paid workers from developing nations.
“For this overworked and underpaid crew, life below deck is an odyssey of partying and excess… and they remain oblivious to the bloodthirsty murders taking place on board.
“Jamie is forced to turn detective and uncover the sinister truth that runs as wide and deep as the ocean he’s trapped on.”
Ryan J. Brown said in a statement: “I’m incredibly excited to be setting sail with the BBC and Euston Films. In Wrecked, the kills are brutal, the laughs are loud, and the heartfelt moments land with real candour.
“I wanted to create a piece of genre entertainment that had the savvy teen sharpness of Scream, the unsettling atmosphere of The Shining and the strange upstairs, downstairs mythology of Cabin in the Woods.
“At its core, Wrecked is a tense coming-of-age story about a lost, gay kid from Sheffield propelled into uncharted waters of escalating paranoia and self-discovery.”
Executive producer Noemi Spanos, of Euston Films, said: “We’re thrilled to introduce Ryan’s wildly distinctive voice to the BBC Three audience.
“His blend of comedy, horror and coming of age storytelling has had us laughing, crying and terrified in equal measures throughout the development process and we can’t wait to realise Ryan’s unique vision and tone on screen.”
Wrecked is set to begin filming later this year in Northern Ireland, with a cast due to be announced.