Lifetime has ordered to pilot the one-hour psychological thriller A Midsummer’s Nightmare from A+E Studios. The first season of the anthology series takes on one of Shakespeare’s most popular works – A Midsummer Night’s Dream – transforming it into a modern-day, mind-bending thriller that explores terror, deception and the dark side of love. The announcement was made today by Liz Gateley, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming for Lifetime.
“We’re really taking big swings at Lifetime and developing content that redefines what it means to be a Lifetime show. A Midsummer’s Nightmare is unlike anything Lifetime has ever done before,” said Gateley.
Told from the perspective of Elena, a young woman reluctantly drawn into a summer getaway-turned-nightmare, A Midsummer’s Nightmare introduces four young lovers who steal off into the woods in pursuit of their romantic desires, but their plans are quickly thwarted when terrifying forces in the deep woods target the stranded group, using their own fantasies and darkest secrets against them. Will Elena and the group rise above their own frailties in order to survive sinister forces? It’s only a matter of time until the faces of love and terror wear the same mask.
A Midsummer’s Nightmare will be produced by A+E Studios. Jeff Kwatinetz (Royal Pains) and Josh Barry (Salem) of The Firm are executive producing. Anthony Jaswinski (The Shallows) wrote the pilot and serves as co-executive producer. This marks Lifetime’s second project with A+E Studios, after UnREAL, the network’s most critically-acclaimed series ever, set to return for a third season in 2017. It also marks the network’s second pilot this year, in addition to Sea Change, currently in post-production.
ABOUT THE FIRM
Re-launched in 2015, The Firm produces film and television content across several networks and studios and also has robust operations in music and sports. The Firm’s Film Division is producing such highly anticipated projects as Tribes Of Palos Verdes starring Jennifer Garner and The Paladin. On the television side, The Firm has projects in development at nearly every major broadcast network, including five series on air this year with Haters Back Off (Netflix), Notorious (ABC), Salem (WGN), Royal Pains (USA) and Hip Hop Squares (VH1).
ABOUT A+E STUDIOS
A+E Studios is the studio unit of the award-winning global media company A+E Networks, LLC. A+E Studios creates, produces and distributes high quality scripted programming across all networks and platforms in the A+E Networks portfolio, including A&E® Network, Lifetime®, History®, LMN®, FYI™, and A&E IndieFilms®. A+E Studios’ slate of programming consists of scripted series, event series and movies, including the Peabody Award-winning UnREAL for Lifetime; the event miniseries ROOTS, upcoming series SIX and Knightfall, as well as Houdini for History, among others. Following its first full production year, A+E Studios received 16 Primetime Emmy® nominations including Outstanding Limited Series for ROOTS.
ABOUT LIFETIME
Lifetime is a premier entertainment destination for women dedicated to offering the highest quality original programming spanning scripted series, non-fiction series and movies. The critically acclaimed UnREAL, Devious Maids, Project Runway, Dance Moms, Bring It!, The Rap Game and Little Women franchises anchor the network’s programming, in addition to its over 25 original movies annually that continue to define the TV movie genre. In 2015, Lifetime launched Broad Focus, a major global initiative dedicated to supporting and hiring female directors, writers and producers to make its content which totals over 450 original hours. Lifetime’s Fempire positions the network as a curator of feminist content and conversations, as well as a place where women connect, learn and are entertained. Lifetime Television®, LMN®, Lifetime Real Women® and Lifetime Digital™ are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group and Hearst Corporation.
