There is no doubt that Netflix has made some very smart choices recently in developing its original properties. Shows like House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things, and Narcos have illuminated their broadcast calendar. And so it is little surprise that critics are already abuzz about the forthcoming eight episode miniseries adaptation of cult classic “Bag of Crushed Child,” set to premiere on October 24th, 2018.

Although Michael Bay's 2014 sequel to the original was a critical flop, and barely recouped its estimated 125 million dollar production cost (to say nothing of 2015’s direct-to-video debacle, Bag of Crushed Child 3: Luther’s Revenge), every report has fans confident that Netflix will do right by this. Those familiar with the show have especially noted that the production staff is paying meticulous attention to detail in replicating the style, sounds, look, and feel of 1979, setting the series as a period piece, instead of attempting to again reinvent it for modern times.

But nothing exemplifies the quality for which Netflix is aiming more than the first casting announced for the series, of Daniel Day-Lewis as the Sheriff. According to an anonymous source from Netflix:

It was really Daniel who came to the network with the idea. He has always been a fan of the original, or at least of the vision that the original was trying to accomplish, so this is really a passion project for him. Coming in the door, he had such a powerful sense of how this could work, and how the story really needs to unfold over the course of a miniseries. In a way, this is not simply "fleshing out" the original, if you'll pardon the pun, but is a tribute to the whole of the 70s horror genre -- Deliverance, The Hills Have Eyes, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Really observant fans will even note nods to Network and that swamp rabbit that attacked Jimmy Carter.

The source noted, as well, the obvious parallels between this new series and Stranger Things, suggesting that there will be hints that the two series share the same universe -- which is not at all surprising with Stranger Things visual effects producers Paul and Christina Graff mastering the effects for the Bag of Crushed Child. The anonymous source noted that the Graffs "are old school. Sure, they're not going to make Bag of Crushed Child by throwing doll parts in a bag of meat and tomato juice, but they're not going to do just a bunch of CGI effects either. This will be hands-on." And Netflix execs, confident of the success of this approach, are already contemplating a Bag of Crushed Child: Season 2.

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