‘Poltergeist’ TV Series in Development at Amazon MGM Studios Enlists Kalinda Vazquez, Robbie Thompson as Showrunners (EXCLUSIVE)
The “Poltergeist” television series in development at Amazon MGM Studios has taken a step forward.
Variety has learned exclusively that Kalinda Vazquez and Robbie Thompson have boarded the project as writers, showrunners, and executive producers. The series was previously reported to be in early development in October 2023.
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Exact plot details are under wraps, aside from the fact that the show is inspired by the iconic 1982 horror film.
Vazquez’s past TV credits include shows like “Star Trek: Discovery,” “Once Upon a Time,” “Fear the Walking Dead,” “Prison Break,” and “Nikita.” She has also written for Marvel, most notably co-writing the comic book series “America Chavez: Made in the USA” with Carlos Gomez.
Thompson was a writer and eventually co-executive producer on multiple seasons of “Supernatural.” He then created and served as showrunner on the “Supernatural” prequel series “The Winchesters” at The CW. He is a celebrated comic book writer in his own right, having written for characters like Silk, Venom, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man.
Vazquez is repped by WME, Kaplan / Perrone Entertainment, and Hansen Jacobson. Thompson is repped by WME, Artists First, and Sloane Offer.
Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television is producing the series, with Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey of Amblin TV attached as executive producers. Spielberg was instrumental in the making of the original film, having come up with the story, co-writing the screenplay, and producing it.
The original film centered on the Freeling family, who move into a new home only to discover that it is infested with a horde of ghosts. After the ghosts kidnap their young daughter, the Freelings work with a parapsychologist and a spiritual medium to free their daughter and escape the ghosts.
“Poltergeist” proved to be a major success upon release. It grossed approximately $121 million worldwide against a reported budget of $10.7 million. It was also nominated for three Academy Awards — best visual effects, best sound effects editing, and best original score. Two sequels followed in 1986 and 1988. Zelda Rubinstein, who played medium Tangina Barrons, and Heather O’Rourke, who played Carol Anne Freeling, were the only cast members to appear in all three films. A reboot of the original film was then released in 2015.
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