ABC Family has given a straight-to-series order to “Dead of Summer” from “Once Upon a Time” creators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, the network announced Wednesday.
Set in the late 1980s, school is out for the summer, and a sun-drenched season of firsts beckons the counselors at Camp Clearwater, a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp, including first loves, first kisses – and first kills.
Clearwater’s dark, ancient mythology awakens, and what was supposed to be a summer of fun soon turns into one of unforgettable scares and evil at every turn.
“Dead of Summer” will be produced by ABC Signature Studios and the Kitsis/Horowitz production banner. Horowitz, Kitsis and “Once Upon a Time” writer Ian Goldberg will write and executive-produce the series.
“‘Dead of Summer’ is about what happens when summer camp goes wrong – really, really wrong. The horror genre is new for us and I’m thrilled to have Adam, Eddy and Ian bring their immeasurable talent to our network and usher us into this new space,” Karey Burke, executive vice president of programming and development for ABC Family, said.
ABC Family announced in October that the network will rebrand itself as Freeform in Jan. 2016. The rebranding is part of the network’s effort, announced at its upfront presentation in April, to focus on viewers ages 14-34 — a group that it has dubbed “Becomers.”