George rr martin

George RR Martin

Syfy has announced a series pickup for Nightflyers, based on author George RR Martin’s novella and the 1987 film of the same name. 

Universal Cable Productions is producing the series. Series co-producer Netflix will have first-run rights to the series outside of the US.

Jeff Buhler wrote the adaptation for television and will serve as executive producer alongside Daniel Cerone, who will also serve as showrunner. 

Nightflyers follows eight maverick scientists and a powerful telepath who embark on an expedition to the edge of our solar system aboard The Nightflyer - a ship with a small tight-knit crew and a reclusive captain - in the hope of making contact with alien life. But when terrifying and violent events begin to take place they start to question each other - and surviving the journey proves harder than anyone thought.

Gretchen Mol is set to star as Dr. Agatha Matheson, alongside Eoin Macken as Karl D’Branin, David Ajala as Roy Eris, Sam Strike as Thale, Maya Eshet as Lommie, Angus Sampson as Rowan,  Jodie Turner-Smith as Melantha Jhirl and Brían F. O’Byrne as Auggie.

Martin will also serve as an executive producer, along with Gene Klein, David Bartis and Doug Liman of Hypnotic; Alison Rosenzweig and Michael Gaeta of Gaeta Rosenzweig Films; Lloyd Ivan Miller and Alice P Neuhauser of Lloyd Ivan Miller Productions. Robert Jaffe will produce. Andrew McCarthy will be a producer-director on the project. Mike Cahill will direct the pilot.

The Ireland-produced series is moving forward with the support of the Government of Ireland, through the Minister for Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht and the Irish Film Board.