Hulu's upcoming supernatural series Helstrom was originally set to be the first tv show in Marvel's now-defunct Adventures into Fear franchise. Now a standalone entity, Helstrom looks to be a promising and fresh venture into the darker side of a few lesser-known but endlessly intriguing Marvel characters, and it has every chance to be a hit among comic geeks and scare fanatics alike.
Here's what we know about the upcoming horror series so far.
The Story So Far
Daimon Helstrom (Tom Austen) is an ethics professor who seeks to work closely with his sister Ana (Sydney Lemmon), who runs an auction house, as the world around them begins to unravel into supernatural chaos. While appearing normal enough on the outside, their careers are a partial front. The siblings harbor a number of dark secrets as the children of a notorious serial killer. The pair also works together to keep humanity's demons at bay and accountable, hunting them down across the country.
Daimon pays a visit to their mother, Victoria, who has been institutionalized at a psychiatric hospital for over 20 years. The matriarch is clearly troubled and seemingly possessed by an otherworldly force. In the teaser for Helstrom that was released during ComicCon@Home, their mother gives them an ominous warning, sending her two children down an unpredictable rabbit hole of hellish mystery and chaos, where a nightmarish world appears to become closer to their troubled reality.
Originally created by comic writer Roy Thomas and artist Gary Friedrich, Daimon Hellstrom made his debut in Ghost Rider #1. His sister, Satana (shortened to Ana for the show), was also developed by Thomas and artist John Romita Sr., first appearing in Vampire Tales #2.
In their comic origins, the Hellstrom siblings are canonically the offspring of Satan, who transformed into a human to marry Victoria and have her bear his children. Hulu's adaptation of the Helstrom clan (their surname altered slightly) looks to keep their supernatural origins, serving up a number of macabre and unsettling sequences in the show's previews.
Trailer
In addition to the ComicCon@Home teaser mentioned above, a full trailer was released on September 23, diving deeper into the morbid reality that awaits the Helstroms and humanity at large. The trailer's narrative begins with the character Caretaker detailing the unseen horrors of the world that they are working to keep at bay.
It follows Daimon going to see Victoria in the hospital, telling whatever force is possessing her that he wants to speak with his mother. Daimon's visit ignites an unexpected reunion, as he reaches out to Ana about their mother's state, with the entity within Victoria growing stronger. Snippets of the Helstrom's backstory is revealed, regarding Ana's kidnapping by their father and Victoria's actions against the man. It details a haunted family, particularly focusing on how the siblings appear to have a strained relationship.
Filming
Filming began in October 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia under the production title of Omens, and it wrapped in March 2020. In April 2020, partially due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Marvel Studios nixed its deal with creator Paul Zbyszewski. Zbyszewski continued to supervise post-production work on the series despite the development with Marvel, with the studio eventually dropping their brand from the title.
Cast and Crew
Helstrom is created by Zbyszewski, who also serves as showrunner and executive producer. Zbyszewski is best known for his writing and producing on Lost and Agents of Shield, as well creating the series Day Break.
Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon star as the supernatural siblings Daimon and Ana Helstrom, with Elizabeth Marvel as their troubled mother, Victoria. Robert Wisdom is Caretaker (previously played by Sam Elliott in Ghost Rider), a guardian of the occult whose knowledge will be a vital aid to the Helstroms. June Carryl portrays Louise Hastings, a psychiatric hospital head where Victoria has been institutionalized for the past 20 years. The series also stars Ariana Guerra as Vatican affiliated Gabriella Rossetti and Alain Uy as Chris Yen, Ana's business partner.
Release Date
Helstrom premieres October 16, 2020, and will stream exclusively on Hulu. All ten episodes will be available for viewing the same day.
Created by Paul Zbyszewski, Helstrom stars Tom Austen, Sydney Lemmon, Elizabeth Marvel, Robert Wisdom, June Carryl, Ariana Guerra, and Alain Uy. The series is available now on Hulu.