Exclusive: Female-made horror anthology XX is getting a TV spinoff

Good news for horror-loving FANGRRLS: the female-made horror anthology film XX is getting a TV spinoff. Producers Jovanka Vuckovic, Todd Brown, and Raquelle David are in development on the anthology series, which will hire female screenwriters and female directors to bring new scary stories to the small screen.

Vuckovic shared details of this project with SYFY WIRE FANGRRLS during the Fantasia International Film Festival while promoting her feature directorial debut Riot Girls, a post-apocalyptic fantasy film that boasts a lot of women in front of and behind the camera. In the interview, Vuckovic spoke about how it was important to her to create opportunities for women in her work. With the XX spinoff, she'll be continuing this mission. 

"Raquelle [David], Todd Brown and I, are developing XX as a television series," she began, describing it as "sort of like a Black Mirror, but for women, all written and directed by women."

As to the tone of the series, Vuckovic said, "I know everyone hates the term 'elevated horror.' But let's say 'thinking person's horror,' feminist thinking person's horror."

The original XX featured four vignettes written and directed by Vuckovic, St. Vincent, Karyn Kusama, and Roxanne Benjamin, with a cast featuring Natalie Brown, Melanie Lynskey, Breeda Wool, Sheila Vand, and Christina Kirk. The critically-heralded 2017 film dealt with the horrors of motherhood, marriage, and the slippery societal pressures put upon women.

Vuckovic didn't hint who might return or be tapped for the TV series — but we have a few suggestions.

And speaking of feminist thinking person's horror, Vuckovic is about to go into casting on her Riot Girls follow-up, a psychological thriller called All My Heroes Are Dead. "That's about a woman with terminal brain cancer who has to kill five people in order to survive," she teased, adding that while not "straight horror" this "feminist thriller" would boast mind-bending terror and "tons of ultra-violence."

Considering what she's shown us so far, we'll follow Vuckovic down whatever path she forges next, the darker the better. 

Riot Girls hits select theaters and On Demand on September 13.