It’s getting pretty undead at Comic-Con, with a panel featuring the new Syfy drama, Van Helsing, which featured exclusive clips and details about the new series coming this fall. According to the Hollywood Reporter, this new incarnation of the classic vampire hunter tale features a gender-bending twist – this time around, Van Helsing is a woman.
As the Hollywood Reporter reports, Kelly Overton took the stage at the Comic-Con panel to discuss her role as Vanessa Helsing, the character re-imagined as a female. Kelly Overton is no stranger to the world of vampires, having played Rikki Naylor on True Blood.
Overton sat on a panel Thursday with other cast members Jonathan Scarfe and Christopher Heyerdahl, as well as show runner Neil LaBute (who conferenced in by phone) and executive producers Simon Barry, Chad Oakes and Mike Frislev. The presentation aired the first footage of the show seen, to give viewers a taste of what is to come in the fall. Hollywood Reporter notes that the trailer was full of action and Walking Dead-levels of gore. In front of ominous clouds, Vanessa Helsing fights her way through a horde of vampires, and they’re not the sexy kind. These vampires also took a page from The Walking Dead, and are instead extremely creepy.
Hollywood Reporter states that LaBute explained that the show, from the producers of Fargo and Hell on Wheels, tells the story of “a long-past relative of the original professor from the Dracula myth, brought up to date in… a dystopian world.” He further explains that the Vanessa character will “very slowly learn who she is, and not only stay alive, but bring the world back from disaster.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Overton went through grueling physical preparation for the role, studying boxing and mixed martial arts to truly embody Vanessa Helsing. The Hollywood Reporter notes that she said, “I went back to Ripley for this,” and enjoyed applause for the name drop of one of the audiences favorite action star ladies.
Van Helsing premieres September 23rd on Syfy. However, fans can get an early, commercial-free following Sharknado 4 on July 31st. We can’t wait to see this lady Van Helsing in action!