Hostel TV Series In The Works, Paul Giamatti To Star

The Hostel franchise is headed to the small screen with Paul Giamatti set to star. THR reports that Giamatti has signed a deal to topline the series, which comes from Fifth Season (Severance) and will see Eli Roth, Chris Briggs and Mike Fleiss all returning to the franchise.

The series is in early development with now platform or network attached as of yet. Roth and Briggs are set to write the script and will executive produce along with Fleiss. Roth will also direct the series. Plot details are under wraps, though the series is described as a “modern adaptation” and an “elevated thriller” that reinvents the franchise. Giamatti will play a “key role” in the film.

Hostel helped kick off the so-called “torture porn” craze of the mid-2000s. The first film released in January of 2006 and grossed $82 million against a $4.8 million budget, following two Americans travelling in Europe who run afoul of an organization that allows people to torture and kill others. The film attracted a ton of attention and controversy, as did the 2007 sequel Hostel: Part II. The sequel was much less successful, with $35.6 million worldwide against a $10 million budget. A third film went straight to video.