“Less Than Zero” is alive at Hulu and has found its leading man.
The streaming service has ordered a pilot for the TV adaptation and cast “The Walking Dead” alum Austin Abrams in the role originally played by Andrew McCarthy in the 1987 feature film, a person with knowledge of the project tells TheWrap.
In April, TheWrap reported Hulu had a drama in the early stages of development based on Bret Easton Ellis’ 1985 novel and the subsequent ’87 flick of the same name, starring McCarthy, Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Gertz and James Spader. “Lost” writer and producer Craig Wright is penning the script and executive producing the adaptation, alongside author Ellis.
Abrams plays Clay, who has grown up in the “excess and lavish ’80s Los Angeles,” but unlike all of his friends who stayed behind for college, Clay is now in his freshman year on the East Coast. Clay returns home for Christmas to his complicated relationship with Blair, his high school girlfriend, and is worried about his friend Julian who is struggling with addiction. The Fox 21-produced reboot explores the culture of wealth and decadence among Los Angeles youth.
Along with “The Walking Dead,” Abrams’ recent small-screen credits include “The Americans,” “SMILF,” “Silicon Valley” and “Shameless.” He has also appeared in the films “Paper Towns,” “Gangster Squad” and “The Kings of Summer.”
20th Century Fox distributed the “Less Than Zero” film and owns rights to the franchise.