The Gimlet podcast The Horror of Dolores Roach is making the leap to television. Amazon has greenlighted the adaptation. The eight-episode, half-hour series destined for Prime Video is based on the podcast that is descried as a contemporary Sweeney Todd-inspired tale of eat or be eaten.
Aaron Mark, who wrote and directed the original podcast, and Dara Resnik will serve as co-showrunners and executive produce the series, alongside Gloria Calderón Kellett and Roxann Dawson, who directed the pilot.
"After eight years living with the indomitable Dolores Roach in multiple forms, I could not be more thrilled to be bringing her to life on television with this powerhouse team,” said Mark.
The adaptation had been given a pilot order in June 2021, and Amazon says it liked what it saw.
“We at Amazon Studios fell in love with this story along with everyone else as the podcast captured listeners,” said Marc Resteghini, Head of Development at Amazon Studios. “We couldn’t be more excited and fortunate to be working with such world-class creatives to bring Dolores Roach to screen in what is sure to be a captivating series,” he said in the announcement.
Released over two seasons in 2018 and 2019, The Horror of Dolores Roach told the story of a woman who was released from prison after 16 years and returns to a severely gentrified New York neighborhood with $200 and the clothes on her back. Her boyfriend missing, her family long gone, Dolores reunites with an old stoner buddy in a tale of survival. In its second season, Dolores discovers self-exiled tunnel-dwellers living in an abandoned subway tunnel as the story took on issues of betrayal, weed, gentrification, cannibalism, and survival of the fittest.
Blumhouse Television and GloNation Studios are producing the television series for Amazon Studios. Chris McCumber, President of Blumhouse Television, called the story a “fresh, bold, and completely unique” story. “Audiences will soon see why this modern-day horror story with a darkly humorous twist is just so special,” said McCumber.
The Horror of Dolores Roach was originally created by Mark as a one-woman play called “Empanada Loca” starring Rubin-Vega with LAByrinth Theater Company at New York’s Bank Street Theater. Rubin-Vega reprised her role in the podcast. Mimi O'Donnell, former artistic director of LABryinth produced the play, and produced the two season podcast series for Gimlet Media.
"The complicated story of Dolores Roach, colored by the bustling soundscape of New York City, not only lends itself to immersive audio but also rich storytelling,” said Lydia Polgreen, Managing Director of Spotify's Gimlet. “We're honored to have this action-packed adventure of Dolores Roach, voiced in the podcast by Daphne Rubin-Vega, and portrayed in the series by Justina Machado, exist in audio and on the screen.”
No release date for the TV series has been announced. But it will be available in more than 240 countries.
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