The spirit of master storyteller and filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock will be revived once again in a new TV series under development, says Universal Cable Productions (UCP) in a new press release. UCP has created a deal with the Alfred Hitchcock Estate and Vermilion Entertainment to create Welcome to Hitchcock, an original anthology series similar in tone to the classic Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
"Long after his death, Alfred Hitchcock continues to be one of the most celebrated directors and visionaries in the world, a master manipulator of the macabre," explained Dawn Olmstead, Executive Vice President of Development, Universal Cable Productions. "We're honored that the Hitchcock Estate has put its trust in our studio to pay homage to his work."
Each episode of the original Alfred Hitchcock Presents series featured a different story with a different director that tried to emulate Hitchcock's style. These directors included Hitchcock himself, George Stevens Jr., Arthur Hiller, Stuart Rosenberg, Robert Stevenson, Robert Altman, and others. This new series will do the same, but it will focus on a single season-long mystery or crime story done in the classic Hitchcock style.
"Our grandfather always collaborated with the best and the brightest to help shape his vision," stated Katie O'Connell-Fiala on behalf of the Hitchcock Trust and MTK Corporation, which was founded by O'Connell-Fiala and her sisters, Mary O'Connell-Stone and Tere O'Connell-Carrubba. "We're confident that Universal Cable Productions will take great care in helping us to continue preserving his legacy."
Director Chris Columbus will serve as a producer for Welcome to Hitchcock, Vermilion's first project for scripted television, and will also direct the pilot episode.