Netflix is turning a popular fantasy comic into a television series. The streaming giant confirmed the order during its upfront presentation to advertisers in New York on Wednesday, officially moving the project from development into production.
Netflix orders Barbaric TV show
The upcoming Netflix TV show, Barbaric, is based on the Vault Comics of the same name, created by Mike Moreci and Nathan Gooden, with Adrian Wassel as editor. The series was first reported to be in development at Netflix in 2024, but Wednesday’s announcement is the formal greenlight.
According to the official logline, the story follows “a ruthless and crass barbarian who is cursed to only be able to use his violence for good. This sends him, his talking axe, and a young witch on a road of self-discovery and revenge.” The premise hints that the Barbaric TV show will have a mix of dark fantasy with an offbeat sense of humour, a combination that resembles Deadpool meets Game of Thrones.
Sheldon Turner will write the adaptation and co-showrun the series. His past credits include Up In The Air and X-Men: First Class. Turner will executive produce alongside Jennifer Klein under their 100% Productions banner, which previously backed films like Armageddon and Pearl Harbor. Robert Rovner, a writer and producer on Supergirl, has also signed on as co-showrunner.
When Barbaric was first revealed to be in development last year, it was reported that actors Sam Claflin and Patrick Stewart were lined up to star. However, as of now, Netflix hasn’t announced who will star in Barbaric.
Moreover, the comic itself has been a big success for an independent publisher. Launched in 2021 by Vault Comics, Barbaric’s editions have sold more than 600,000 units to date. The title has been translated into six languages and has spawned a spin-off series called Queen of Swords, along with various one-shot issues.
Now, fans will have to wait for Netflix to announce the Barbaric TV show’s release date.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on SuperHeroHype.