Amazon, Hulu Buy ‘Spider-Man’ Star Jacob Batalon’s Syfy Comedy Drama ‘Reginald The Vampire’ (EXCLUSIVE)

By Manori Ravindran, Variety

Amazon and Hulu have swooped for Syfy comedy drama “Reginald the Vampire,” starring “Spider-Man: No Way Home” star Jacob Batalon.

The streamers have picked up the show for select territories, while Cineflix Rights has come on board as international distributor and will be shopping the 10-part series at next month’s MipTV market in Cannes. It’s produced by Thunderbird Entertainment-owned Great Pacific Media.

Hulu has acquired second-window U.S. rights to the series — co-produced with Modern Story, December Films and Cineflix Studios — while Amazon has bought streaming rights in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The show is in its final week of shooting and is slated for a summer premiere on Syfy.

Based on Johnny B. Truant’s “Fat Vampire” novels, the comedy-tinged drama stars Batalon as Reginald, a newly turned vampire who crashes into a world populated by beautiful, fit and vain vampires. New on the scene, he has to overcome various barriers such as a bully of a boss, falling for a human girl he can’t have, and a vampire chieftain who wants him dead. Fortunately, Reginald discovers he has a few powers of his own.

Batalon stars as Peter Parker’s best friend Ned Leeds in the recent Tom Holland-led instalments of the Spider-Man franchise, which topped the global box office in 2021. “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which released in December, has so far grossed $1.8 billion around the world.

“The incredible creative team and cast we’ve assembled to bring ‘Reginald the Vampire’ to life has attracted these amazing global media partners. We cannot wait to share this series with audiences worldwide and to bring more premium scripted dramas like ‘Reginald the Vampire’ to the U.S. and international markets,” said Lindsay Macadam, senior VP for content and business development at Great Pacific Media, and executive producer.

Harley Peyton, series showrunner, executive producer and partner at Modern Story, added: “The fact that Reginald’s grand, weird and wonderful adventures will be brought to the world through our first-class creative talent and cast, and now, these top-notch platform and distribution partners, is incredibly exciting. ‘Reginald the Vampire’ is the infusion of fresh blood this genre’s been waiting for.”

James Durie, head of scripted at Cineflix Rights, said: “We are very excited to be distributing ‘Reginald the Vampire.’ With a young, diverse cast and a fantastic creative team, we think it will be a sure-fire hit with our buyers. Jacob is a global star who will give the series incredible appeal, attracting not only his Spider-Man fans, but also a huge number of fantasy fans around the world.”

Modern Story partner Jeremiah Chechik (“Shadowhunters”) is directing and serves as an executive producer alongside Todd Berger (“Wynonna Earp”), Peyton (“Twin Peaks”) and Thunderbird/Great Pacific Media’s Macadam, David Way, Matthew Berkowitz and Jennifer Twiner McCarron.

Brett Burlock and Peter Emerson are executive producers for Cineflix Studios. Season 1 directors include David Frazee, Lee Rose and Siobhan Devine. Batalon is a co-executive Producer, along with Julie Di Cresce.

Batalon is repped by APA and Brecheen Feldman.