New Female-Led Van Helsing TV Show to Begin Production

[UPDATE] Deadline reports that the new Van Helsing show will focus on Vanessa Van Helsing, the daughter of Van Helsing.

The original story is below.

The legendary vampire hunter Van Helsing has had many guises over the years on TV and in movies. It has now been confirmed that a new show about the character is about to go into production, with perhaps the biggest twist so far--she'll be a woman.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, cable channel SyFy has acquired Van Helsing, which is being developed with writer/director Neil LaBute as showrunner. It will begin production in Vancouver in January 2016, with the 13-episode first season set to premiere in the Fall.

This version of the character is named Vanessa Van Helsing. The show is set in the near future, where the world has been overtaken by vampires. The resurrected Helsing is the only hope to save mankind.

LaBute, whose previous films include Nurse Betty and the Wicker Man remake, said in a statement: "I am extremely excited to be working with Syfy and Nomadic Pictures to create a unique, character-driven action series that will move the traditional vampire tropes into bold and unexpected new territories.

"This is a wonderful chance for us to forge great stories and unforgettable characters and throw them into a world where the stakes--both dramatic and personal--are tremendously high."

The character of Van Helsing was created by Bram Stoker, and first appeared in his classic novel Dracula, published in 1897. In 2004, Hugh Jackman starred in the big-budget action fantasy Van Helsing--despite the negative critical reaction, it proved a hit with audiences.

In 2012 there were reports that the film's studio, Universal, was considering rebooting the property. However, since parent company NBCUniversal also owns SyFy, it seems unlikely that this will happen while the new TV show is in production.