Thanks to The Walking Dead, zombies are all the rage on TV nowadays. Netflix got on the zombie train in a big way earlier this year with Santa Clarita Diet, and the streaming service isn't done with the undead. A new zombie TV show in the works at Netflix, and it's definitely a new take on the genre for the small screen. The new thriller will be called Kingdom and take viewers back in time to a medieval version of the zombie apocalypse.
Kingdom will be a period drama with a supernatural twist. The plot will be set during Korea's Joseon era, which ran from the late 14th century all the way to the late 19th century. When his kingdom is struck by a mysterious sickness that transforms its victims into monstrous versions of themselves, a medieval crown prince must embark on what amounts to a suicide mission in the hopes of solving the mystery of the outbreak. He'll uncover a terrible truth that puts the future of his kingdom in jeopardy.
Well, nobody will be able to accuse Netflix of producing two of the same zombie series. Kingdom sounds like it barely touches on the same genre as Santa Clarita Diet, and I'm guessing that there will be far fewer laughs in Kingdom when it hits the web. Deadline reports that Netflix has ordered a first season of eight episodes so far, all of which will be penned by award-winning South Korean screenwriter Kim Eun-hee. The series is slated to premiere on the streaming service at some point in 2018.
Kingdom sounds like it could be a fresh take on a genre that is getting bogged down by a number of very similar series. No other zombie show on the airwaves nowadays can boast that it's set in medieval Korea, and the time period means that we won't have to wonder why none of the characters are siphoning gas or searching for bicycles or hoarding batteries. The series seems to be one of the wilder experiments that Netflix has ever tried with its originals. Who needs another Walking Dead anyway? We already have two of those.
Netflix has been working hard and spending a lot of money in recent years to produce as many originals as possible as soon as possible. The library has grown to include plenty of dramas, comedies, documentaries, stand-up specials, and even reality series. Netflix is reportedly looking to someday have half of its library made up of originals. That's a tall order, and it's clear that Netflix is already investing in exciting and strange new projects that could give it an edge. Who knows? Maybe Kingdom will be the next Stranger Things to unexpectedly take the world by storm.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV news. Take a look at our 2017 Netflix premiere schedule for a look at all your streaming options in the coming weeks, and don't forget to check out our midseason TV premiere schedule to see what's available airing live in primetime.
