Netflix and Universal Cable Productions have teamed up to create a live-action adaptation of Gerard Way’s comic book series The Umbrella Academy, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The 10-episode drama is set to premiere on the streaming platform in 2018. The story follows members of a dysfunctional family of superheroes – aka The Umbrella Academy, comprised of The Monocle, Spaceboy, The Kraken, The Rumor, The Séance, Number Five, The Horror, and The White Violin – who come together to solve the mystery of their father’s death.
Gerard Way, frontman to rock bank My Chemical Romance, first started out as an artist and studied art and animation at The School of Visual Arts in New York. Way wrote the story behind The Umbrella Academy while artist Gabriel Bá provided the illustrations. The musician published his comic book series with Dark Horse Comics back in 2007.
Steve Blackman (Fargo, Legion) is set to serve as showrunner and will work with Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg, both from Dark Horse Entertainment, as executive producers. Way himself will also work on the show as a co-executive producer.
In a statement addressing Netflix’s decision to pick up the series, Way said, “I am thrilled that The Umbrella Academy has found a home at Netflix. I couldn’t think of a better place for the vision Gabriel Bá and myself had when creating the comic, and cannot wait for people to experience that world as a live action show.”
Two years ago, Dark Horse Comics officially partnered up with Universal Cable Productions to begin making television shows with their comics. The Umbrella Academy is the first Dark Horse Comics/Universal Cable Productions series to come to Netflix