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Your friend 'til the end: 'Chucky' creator Don Mancini teases the 'real-life pain' at the heart of the series
In the latest behind-the-scenes look at SYFY and USA’s upcoming Chucky series, Child’s Play creator Don Mancini lets us in on the story simmering throughout the season — beyond Chucky’s regular antics.
“I wanted to bring the series back to its Child’s Play roots and involve teenagers,” Mancini explains. “They have more complicated issues that they’re dealing with, like bullying.
“With this first season of the TV series, we use Chucky as a metaphor for bullying, and I think in a way Chucky is the perfect bully because he comes as he always has in our franchise: in the guise of being your best friend,” he continues.
He goes on to promise that, yes, you’ll laugh and scream in all the ways you expect when watching anything Chucky-centric, but that he also hopes some people might get a little misty-eyed, as well.
Chucky follows the life of teenager Jake Webber (Zackary Arthur), who identifies as gay and is experiencing the first throes of young love. There is, as Mancini explains, “a whiff of real-life pain,” as some of Jake’s story is based on Mancini’s own experiences growing up as a young gay man.
Long-time fans of the franchise will find plenty to love, including the return of several favorite characters, while new viewers will be sucked in by the many themes and complex characters they’ll get to know along the way. And at the end of the day, you always know Chucky’s gonna be there to sow a little chaos in this small, unsuspecting town.
Chucky premieres Oct. 12 on SYFY and USA.
