Tabloid mascot, off-Broadway musical star, LMO Outposter, and now star of a live-action Netflix show. Bat Boy is being developed as a young adult horror-comedy show for the streamer.
It will tell the story of the 1990s tabloid character from the cover of the Weekly World News. The now famous front page remains one of the most iconic in the weird “news” paper’s history.
Bat Boy is described as a creature who is “half human and half bat”. His pursuers, according to Weekly World News, were scientists and United States government officials. He is frequently captured, then later makes a daring and unlikely escape.
The original scientist who found him was named Dr. Ron Dillon. Another character, Matthew Daemon, S.O.S. (Seeker of Obscure Supernaturals), crossed paths with him in several stories.
Bat Boy had a family – Herbert Sr. was his grandfather, Susan Boy was his mother, and Ruth Carter Cash Boy was his sister.
Bat Boy was created by former Weekly World News editor Dick Kulpa. Writer Bob Lind was assigned the story six weeks later. He debuted as a cover story on June 23, 1992. The original front-page photo of Bat Boy, showing his grotesque screaming face, was the second-best-selling issue in the tabloid’s history
The success of the character led to an off-Broadway musical. This Netflix show will not be connected to the musical.
This version is from the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and live-action One Piece co-showrunner Joe Tracz.
It is a coming-of-age story, as teenager Bobby Bates re-enters mainstream society after living in seclusion on the outskirts in the remnants of a long-closed carnival.
When Bobby enrolls at Cypressville High, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery while attempting to find his place among his new peers and society and trying to solve a mystery bubbling up from the Florida swamps. Florida. Of course.
Jimmy Gibbons and Greg D’Alessandro will also executive produce.