Casting is heating up for the second season of Creepshow, with Marilyn Manson and Ted Raimi among those just announced to make appearances on the horror anthology series. Based on 1982's classic Stephen King/George Romero feature film collaboration Creepshow and its not quite as celebrated 1987 sequel, Creepshow debuted last year on Shudder, the horror-centric streaming service, with special effects master-turned-director Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead) serving as executive producer. The first season featured a diverse slate of actors - including Giancarlo Esposito, Adrienne Barbeau, Kid Cudi, and Kate Freund - along with a powerhouse slate of directors such as Tom Savini, Rob Schrab, and Nicotero himself.
The star power for Creepshow season 2, however, was already on the rise last month when it was announced that Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect), Adam Pally (Happy Endings), and Keith David (They Live) would all turn up onscreen. Anticipation ratcheted up even further when Shudder revealed it would premiere an animated Creepshow special on October 29th, featuring animated adaptations of stories by Stephen King and his son Joe Hill, with Kiefer Sutherland heading up the voice cast with Joey King.
Now comes word via Slashfilm that Creepshow season 2 has beefed up its cast with a list of newly-released names headed by rocker Marilyn Manson and perennial cult-movie favorite Ted Raimi (Twin Peaks, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and just about everything directed by his brother Sam Raimi). Also signing up for tricks and treats in season 2 are Final Destination's Ali Larter, horror icon Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator, Chopping Mall), and original Star Trek: The Next Generation crew member Denise Crosby.
Shudder has also confirmed the casting of True Blood's Ryan Kwanten, Iman Benson (Netlix's BlackAF), and veteran actor C. Thomas Howell, whose film debut in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was released the same year as the original Creepshow movie. Another former child actor, Breckin Meyer (now a writer and voice performer for Robot Chicken), rounds out the cast, along with Eric Edelstein (Twin Peaks: The Return, We Bare Bears) and Entourage member Kevin Dillon. Season 2 is expected to stream in 2021, and Shudder has announced that work on Creepshow season 3 has already started.
The casting update is great news for Creepshow fans because it shows that Shudder is pouring some serious resources into the show, building on the momentum of the fan-favorite series' first season. Always controversial Marilyn Manson might be considered stunt casting, but there's no doubt he fits perfectly within the milieu of the show. Casting Raimi, meanwhile, is the ultimate fan service since he has been in several beloved horror flicks over the years. Likewise, bringing in legendary scream queens Barbeau and Crampton, among so many other veterans of horror and sci-fi classics, not only works well with the Creepshow vibe but should also assure fans that when it comes to darkly comic horror, Creepshow is a show that definitely gets it.
Source: Slashfilm