Missing Shadyside already? Fear not, for more serialized frights are headed to a small screen near you! The Final Girl Support Group, a new slasher series based on the recent novel from horror scribe Grady Hendrix, is in the pipeline over at HBO Max according to Deadline.
Released July 13, 2021, the novel involves six survivors of horrific massacres, whose experiences made them celebrities and spawned franchises based on their stories. These 'final girls' form a secret support group in Los Angeles as a way to therapize their trauma together. The story follows Lynette, whose personal experience reads like something straight from a slasher pic, which... is kinda the point.
All of the women's tales homage classic horror movies like Halloween, Scream, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday the 13th. Aside from those winks, horror fans will know the term 'final girl' as it was popularized by author Carol Clover in her genre textbook Men, Women and Chainsaws to describe the last girl standing in stalk'n'slash movies.
The series is currently in early development, the perfect time to fancast! As someone who's read the book, I'd find it spot-on to have the actual final girls of the franchises referenced appear in those roles. Halloween's Jamie Lee Curtis, A Nightmare on Elm Street's Heather Langenkamp, Friday the 13th's Adrienne King, and Scream's Neve Campbell could add the meta edge to send it over the top. But self-referentiality isn't always the answer; the series would be the perfect space for new actresses (who are over the age of 30) to snag hefty roles.
Charlize Theron will produce for Denver & Delilah Films, alongside It duo Barbara and Andy Muschietti's Double Dream productions and Aperture Entertainment. It Chapter One and It Chapter Two director Andy Muschietti is on board to direct the pilot of the series.
With the likes of Fear Street stoking interest in serialised slasher fare and Freaky leading the steady build of feature-length masked killer pics hitting multiplexes, this news couldn't come at a better time for horror fans.
Until we learn more about The Final Girl Support Group, scope our picks of the best horror movies ever made and check out the streamer with our HBO Max free trial guide.
