The first Penny Dreadful series was a supernatural horror on Showtime that aired from 2014 to 2016, but this new show is actually not connected to it at all.
The official trailer for the new Penny Dreadful: City Of Angels dropped on Friday, and with it comes a fair share of excitement and intrigue around the new show that combines the macabre and occult with a true-to-life historical context based in the Los Angeles of nearly a century ago.
Actress Natalie Dormer, most well known for her turn as Margaery Tyrell in Game Of Thrones, anchors the new series, playing a foreboding character in black known as Magda.
Foreboding: The official trailer for the new Penny Dreadful: City Of Angels dropped on Friday, anchored by Game Of Thrones actress Natalie Dormer
The inciting incident for the trailer, and the series as a whole, is a ‘grisly murder’ that shocks the LA community of 1938, with the corpse of a young woman horrifically made up to look like an effigy from the Day of the Dead.
A message nearby scrawled in blood says (in Spanish): ‘You take our heart we take yours’.
‘If this gets out,’ a police chief warns, ‘We’re looking at a damn race war.’
The detectives assigned to the case are played by actors Daniel Zovatto, who has appeared in several notable horror entries including the chilling It Follows and Fear The Walking Dead, as well as veteran performer Nathan Lane of Birdcage and Lion King fame.
Terrifying: The inciting incident for the trailer, and the series as a whole, is a ‘grisly murder’ that shocks the LA community of 1938, with the corpse of a young woman horrifically made up to look like an effigy from the Day of the Dead
Reacting: The detectives assigned to the case are played by actors Daniel Zovatto (right), of It Follows, as well as veteran performer Nathan Lane of Birdcage fame (left)
Watch out: A message nearby scrawled in blood says: ‘You take our heart we take yours’ (in Spanish)
Police brutality erupts, targeting the Mexican community of the time.
Soon, a blond woman of the church, dressed in priestly golden robes emblazoned with a cross, exclaims, ‘Satan is here!’
Enter Natalie, shrouded in a (rather well-fitting) black leather gown, as she stalks the street.
Violence: Police brutality erupts, targeting the Mexican community of the time
Soon: A blond woman of the church, dressed in priestly golden robes emblazoned with a cross, exclaims, ‘Satan is here!’
Here comes the devil: Enter Natalie, shrouded in a (rather well-fitting) black leather gown, as she stalks the street
‘Children, you are not safe, lord save us!’ the priestess continues.
As Dormer’s Magda continues her devilish procession, windows spontaneously explode and shatter in her wake.
Later, her character is seen in an entirely different outfit and hairstyle, suggesting her nefariousness can take many forms.
Boom: As Dormer’s Magda continues her devilish procession, windows spontaneously explode and shatter in her wake
Later: Her character is seen in an entirely different outfit and hairstyle, suggesting her nefariousness can take many forms
Culture clash: The new show combines the macabre and occult with a true-to-life historical context based in the Los Angeles of nearly a century ago
‘All mankind needs to be the monster he truly is,’ Magda whispers, ‘is being told he can.’
As if in response, Lane says in voice-over, ‘It’s a wicked world, and it’s only got you and me to save it.’
His character is seen in a stairwell, his face constricted in an expression of anguish and horror as he kneels on the landing.
‘It’s a wicked world’: Lane’s character is seen in a stairwell, his face constricted in an expression of anguish and horror as he kneels on the landing
The ghost of a little boy is seen in a burning field.
And as the trailer builds to a climax, other disturbing images are seen, including a Nazi flag stashed next to an American one in a closet, and mobsters shooting up a street.
Penny Dreadful: City Of Angels premieres on Showtime on April 26th.
Another creepy moment: The ghost of a little boy is seen in a burning field
Don’t look now: As the trailer builds to a climax, other disturbing images are seen…
…like mobsters shooting up a street
Penny Dreadful: City Of Angels premieres on Showtime on April 26th