Netflix’s ‘Impact Winter’: A Vampire Apocalypse Like You’ve Never Seen!

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In today’s television landscape, one effective approach to creating a show is to utilize an already established intellectual property (IP) as a foundation. This could range from podcasts to comic books, or even board games – anything that has a pre-existing fan base catches the eye of production studios. For instance, the Audible Originals podcast “Impact Winter,” which is being transformed into a Netflix series by Francis Lawrence, who directed films like “I Am Legend” and four of the “Hunger Games” movies. The podcast’s script was penned by Travis Beacham, who co-wrote films such as “Pacific Rim” and “Clash of the Titans.

According to Deadline, Lawrence is linked to a television adaptation of the popular Audible podcast titled “Impact Winter”. This podcast, along with its comic-book series, derives its name from the theory that a massive meteor strike would cause atmospheric dust, resulting in long-term global cooling. The story unfolds 10 years after a comet’s impact, in a post-apocalyptic world where darkness has allowed vampires to surface and seize control of what remains of society. With four seasons so far and close to 6 million subscribers, the podcast is highly successful.

The concept is likened to a fusion of “30 Days of Night” and “The Last of Us,” blending two chilling horror themes. In an interview with Screen Rant in 2023, Impact Winter’s creator Travis Beacham shared his vision for developing the show.

What first drew me to it and fueled my imagination was the blend of fantasy and sci-fi elements. Many contemporary vampire stories portray them as a disease or mutation, which is interesting. However, what truly captivated me was Bram Stoker’s Dracula, particularly the Coppola version, where the extent of his powers remains mysterious. It’s as if he’s a wolf, a person turning into a bat, or mist seeping through door cracks – portraying vampires as an explicitly magical, god-like entity.

The Post-Apocalyptic Genre Is Alive and Well

In almost every passing decade, films explore themes of end times and their aftermath, often leaning towards horror or action genres. These narratives tend to echo societal fears in one way or another, manifesting as zombies, pandemics, disasters, nuclear wars, etc. As more post-apocalyptic intellectual properties are brought to the screen, it’s intriguing to consider how Impact Winter might reflect our collective apprehensions. Might a tale about a world shrouded in darkness and ruled by bloodthirsty ghouls provide insights into our current situation? That’s debatable.

Indeed, Lawrence isn’t new to the realm of post-apocalyptic vampire narratives; this director, recognized for his past projects like Constantine and the Hunger Games series, has previously directed Will Smith’s hit film I Am Legend, a sequel to which is finally in the works with Smith and Michael B. Jordan – the latter who is also starring in his own vampire movie, Sinners, slated for release on April 18.

The production of “Impact Winter” is being handled by Skybound and Anonymous Content studios, with Beacham, Lawrence, Cameron MacConomy, Glenn Geller, Rick Jacobs, Cliff Roberts, Bard Dorros, and Zack Hayden serving as executive producers. At this point in time, no further details regarding the production or release date have been disclosed.

Sources: Deadline, Screen Rant

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2025-02-28 22:02