SDCC sneak peak at James Wan-produced Peacock horror series Teacup, premiering this October

This year's San Diego Comic Convention has officially kicked off, and to start, 1428 Elm has some exciting news to share about what to expect from the upcoming Peacock horror series Teacup from executive producer James Wan, the guy who gave us iconic horror franchises like Insidious and The Conjuring.

Releasing this October, Teacup is based on the novel Stinger by Robert McCammon and "follows a disparate group of people in rural Georgia who must come together in the face of a mysterious threat in order to survive.”

At SDCC, we received a lot more information about the series thanks to new statements from showrunner/executive producer Ian McCulloch and executive producer James Wan.

Teacup is being called a 'puzzle-box mystery' and 'edge-of-your-seat thriller'

Speaking about Teacup, McCulloch shares what attracted him to this project, how Stinger stuck with him after reading it and focused more on creating a large story told through a small lens, something known as a "keyhole epic" like A Quiet Place or The Thing.

In short, it sounds like McCulloch has heavily toned down the spectacle of McCammon's novel in exchange for more intimate storytelling, or as he calls it, "the acoustic guitar version of, say, a Radiohead song."

He also says that during production on the show, Teacup underwent a significant evolution, beginning with the title change. He describes the upcoming series as its own unique thing, seemingly meaning it will divert heavily from its source.

"A puzzle-box mystery, an edge-of-your-seat thriller, a can’t-but-must look horror story, a family drama, a science fiction epic—of the keyhole variety, of course."

Wan's statement echoes McCulloch's sentiment as he praises the show's cast and McCulloch's vision.

"'Teacup' defies easy labels. It's a genre-bending blend of horror, mystery, and drama, with layers that unfold like a captivating puzzle. It goes beyond chills and thrills and holds up a mirror to humanity, exploring the darkness that resides within us all. We hope you enjoy this wild ride as much as we've loved creating it!"

Consisting of eight half-hour episodes, Teacup will premiere with its first two episodes exclusively on Peacock on Thursday, October 10, with an additional two episodes airing weekly through Halloween. The series stars Yvonne Strahovski, Scott Speedman, Chaske Spencer, Kathy Baker, Boris McGiver, Caleb Dolden, Emilie Bierre, and Luciano Leroux.

As mentioned, Wan has directed and produced many horror films over the years, his credits including Archive 81, M3GAN, Saw, The Conjuring Universe, and more. He's joined by Michael Clear (Archive 81, Swamp Thing) and Rob Hackett (I Know What You Did Last Summer, Archive 81) for Atomic Monster. Kevin Tancharoen and Francesca X. Hu will also executive produce, as will Stinger author McCammon.

It's exciting to see several Archive 81 vets involved with this project as I loved that series and was disappointed in its cancellation.

Teacup premieres on Peacock on October 10. To stay up to date on thrillers, sci-fi, and horror, bookmark 1428 Elm and follow our Facebook page and Twitter account!