Reginald the Vampire Subverts Traditional Tropes

Based on Johnny B. Truant’s Fat Vampire novels, the ten-episode comedy-tinged drama Reginald the Vampire is ready to be rolled out globally by Cineflix Rights. The project comes from Thunderbird Entertainment’s Great Pacific Media with Modern Story, December Films and Cineflix Studios and was commissioned by NBCUniversal’s SYFY.

Jacob Batalon (Spider-Man: No Way Home) stars in the sci-fi dramedy as Reginald, who crashes into a world populated by beautiful, fit and vain vampires where he overcomes obstacles—from a bully boss to falling for a human girl he can’t have and a vampire chieftain who wants him dead. Fortunately, Reginald discovers that he has a few powers of his own.

“We have a close working relationship with the production team through working on Wynonna Earp, so we had been tracking the series right from when it was first pitched to SYFY,” says James Durie, head of scripted at Cineflix Rights. “It had so many standout qualities even before Jacob joined that we felt very confident it would be a strong title internationally.”

Reginald the Vampire subverts the vampire genre, Durie says, with “a wicked sense of humor. I’ve described it as a dramedy wrapped up in a rom-com wrapped up in a buddy movie—so it hits a lot of targets as far as audiences are concerned.”

While the series is built around the breakout dramatic and comedic performance of Batalon as Reginald, he is supported by a diverse array of characters and performances. Alongside Batalon, the ensemble cast includes Mandela Van Peebles (Mayor of Kingstown) and Em Haine (Fargo). “Ultimately, it’s a show that looks like the wider world, which is something that should appeal to audiences all over the globe,” Durie adds.

As the exclusive worldwide distribution partner, Cineflix Rights is taking the series to the global market and will debut Reginald the Vampire to buyers at MIPTV next month. Batalon is also set to attend in support of the launch.

“Having Jacob Batalon, the breakout star of one of the biggest grossing Hollywood films of all time, as the lead actor obviously gives the series incredible global appeal—not just to Spider-Man fans but also wider audiences,” says Durie. “But just as importantly, Reginald the Vampire has been put together by a creative team with a strong track record, and the young diverse cast and storyline tackle modern-day beauty tropes in a new, clever and funny way, which we think pushes the right buttons for young adults and fantasy fans around the world.

Already, Hulu has acquired second-window U.S. rights to the series. Amazon Prime Video in Canada secured the streaming rights, along with Prime Video in Australia for that country and New Zealand.

“Johnny B. Truant’s Fat Vampire novels really stand out by offering a fresh take on vampire mythology while at the same time critiquing how we assess beauty, and in particular, the way body shaming affects individuals in all sorts of ways,” Durie says. “Another key strength of the books is the incredibly sharp sense of humor that runs through them. The fact that they have become so successful is important for the series, which will have a ready-made audience who will be salivating at the prospect of seeing their favorite characters brought to life on the screen!”

Emmy-nominated producer and writer Harley Peyton brought the books to the screen as writer, executive producer and showrunner. “Harley obviously has an incredible track record as a showrunner and writer, going all the way back to a real moment of TV history—Twin Peaks—and all the way up to successful recent series such as Chucky, Project Blue Book and Reign, which were big successes for SYFY and The CW,” says Durie. “He has brought a unique vision to the series, which I think makes it stand out as a sure-fire hit.”

With its mix of humor and wit, star power and wide audience appeal, Reginald the Vampire fits in line with the types of content that Cineflix Rights relishes bringing to audiences and buyers around the world. “Like the rest of our carefully curated drama catalog, Reginald the Vampire combines a great storyline with a fantastic cast and creative team and high production values to provide a compelling series with global appeal,” Durie says. “Cineflix Rights is focused on growing a focused slate of distinctive, noisy, standout dramas that are both commercially and creatively exciting, telling stories in a new and different way, which appeal to diverse audiences. Reginald may stand out from the rest of his vampire associates, but his story fits right in with our strategy!”