The sci-fi anthology has seen a resurgence in recent years, as the first trailer for Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams makes clear. Shows like BBC's Black Mirror have doubled down on speculative fiction ranging from the horrific to the hopeful. Dick, the mastermind behind the stories that inspired blockbusters like Blade Runner (based on his short story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) as well as Minority Report (based on Dick's short story The Minority Report) serves as the inspiration for the new series.

The series hails from executive producers Bryan Cranston and Ronald D. Moore. Neither is a stranger to science fiction. Cranston, of course, played Zordon in Power Rangers, as well as a starring role in Godzilla and Total Recall remake. He's also no stranger to genre television as fans of Breaking Bad can attest. Moore's work on Star Trek the Next Generation as well as Star Trek: Deep Space 9 has also left him with more than a working knowledge of science-fiction. Moore is also responsible for developing the Battlestar Galactica series as well as its spinoff Caprica. He's currently acting as executive producer on the time-travel period drama Outlander. That's an impressive resume for telling sci-fi stories for both Cranston and Moore, one that they are clearly using as seen in the trailer below.

The trailer seems to promise potential for both hope and despair for its characters. From a mysterious pig-man creature to a young boy trying to warn the audience that his father is an alien, the images are reminiscent of Black Mirror meets The Twilight Zone. Much like the source material, the team seems poised to deliver positive messages as well as negative ones. As Benedict Wong says before the trailer closes, "We're weaving dreams." something that both Moore and Cranston seem to take very much to heart with their idea of dreams and nightmares. The series will air on Stan, the Australian Video on Demand network and on Amazon Prime here in the states.

Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams

Fans can expect to catch Steve Buscemi and Greg Kinnear in the series, as well as Janelle Monae and Juno Temple. They're joined by Vera Farmiga, Terrance Howard, Anna Paquin, Mirelle Enos, Timothy Spall, and of course, Bryan Cranston himself. The 10-episode series seems poised to deliver thrills, chills, and haunting messages just like Phillip K. Dick's short stories.

It remains to be seen how Electric Dreams will tie itself together, but Cranston working in a role similar to Rod Sterling in The Twilight Zone it might serve the narrative best. Phillip K. Dick has indirectly shaped much of Hollywood science fiction with his work, and an anthology series is the best way to showcase his contributions.

However, with Black Mirror and other science fiction anthologies around, not to mention original science fiction available on multiple networks, it remains to be seen if Electric Dreams will encourage an audience to dream with it. Skeptics might consider the market played out. With an all-star cast and an incredible creative team, anything is possible. Much like in the stories that Phillip K. Dick himself created.

Next: Amazon Orders Sci-Fi Anthology Series From Ron Moore & Bryan Cranston

Source: Stan Australia