Joss Whedon is returning to television.
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum has landed a straight-to-series order at HBO for the Victorian drama The Nevers. Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the project landed at the premium cable network amid a competitive situation with multiple bidders, including streaming giant Netflix. An episode count and premiere date have not yet been determined.
The Nevers is described as an epic science-fiction drama about a gang of Victorian women who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies and a mission that might change the world. Whedon will serve as writer, director, executive producer and showrunner on The Nevers.
"I honestly couldn't be more excited. The Nevers is maybe the most ambitious narrative I've created, and I can't imagine a better home for it than HBO," Whedon said Friday in a statement. "Not only are they the masters of cinematic longform, but their instant understanding of my odd, intimate epic was as emotional as it was incisive. It's been too long since I created an entirely new fictional world, and the HBO team offers not just scope and experience, not just 'prestige,' but a passionate collaboration. I could go on, but — I'm impatiently grateful to say — I have work to do."
