In this rather horrifying trailer, the radio announcer-like voice of the narrator asks the question, “What is more American than the Purge?” The ten-episode series will explore that notion throughout its premiere on September 4th. This trailer was released in congruence with the panel at the San Diego Comic-con for the show that included Jason Blum of Blumhouse, the creator James DeMonaco, director Anthony Hemingway, producer Brad Fuller, showrunner Tom Kelly, the film’s star Lex Scott Davis and some of the other stars of the show.
The TV show, titled The Purge is set between the first two films. As mxdwn reported, the tv show is based on the same premise as the film. Set in an America under a totalitarian scheme, every year for 12 hours all laws will cease to exist and nothing is illegal. The trailer revealed more specific hints such as families being separated, some kind of Purge cult and people being forced to work late on Purge night as the clock ticks down to the start.
Creator DeMonaco spoke about the series saying, “Time is the biggest factor on a very practical level. We had 10 hours to explore things we couldn’t even attempt to do in the movie,” DeMonaco said about the television adaptation. “That gives us the real estate to get into characters more and use a flashback structure to go off purge. Here we go back five years before the purge, 3 months before the purge, 2 days before the purge. So we’ll see how this society exists within the purge landscape.”
Showrunner Tom Kelly hints at a similar note to the trailer’s questioning spirit when he spoke about wanting, The Purge to be something of “a cautionary tale” and that “as violent as it is, we really want this to be an anti-violent message.”
The Purge will premiere on September 4 on both USA and Syfy at 10/9C pm.