New Syfy ‘Chucky’ Series Creator Ups the Queerness

Just in time for the ongoing and ever-fleeting spooky season, the new Chucky series just premiered on SyFy. Out creator Don Mancini is behind the series, a spin-off of the seven-film Child’s Play franchise, which features a tender gay teen romance at its heart.

The series debuted on the Syfy and USA networks October 12, featuring gay, 14-year-old, aspiring artist Jake (Zackary Arthur) who comes to possess the demonic doll while thrifting, to the disgust of his abusive blue collar father (Devon Sawa). Jake ends up moving in with his rich cousin and nemesis, Junior (Teo Briones), and as Chucky begins to tally up a bloody body count and attempts to manipulate an increasingly spooked Jake, he finds a distraction in a romantic spark with his schoolmate, Devon (Björgvin Arnarson).

The series also brings back familiar characters and actors from the franchise, including Chuck’s first owner, Andy (Alex Vincent), and partner Tiffany Valentine (Jennifer Tilly), also diving into the origins of the serial killer possessing Chucky, Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif).

Mancini says in an interview with NewNowNext that a lot of Jake’s story brought in elements from his own experience, including the tension between Jake and his father and some of the elements of his romance.

“This is a very sweet, PG-13, teen-puppy-love kind of thing we see in other genres that depict 8th graders and their burgeoning romantic interests, but we don’t get to see often with 14-year-old, gay boys,” he says.

He says that the character was always intended to be gay, and that it became increasingly important for Mancini to included queer elements because he saw so many LGBTQ fans responding favorably.

“I thought, ‘OK, this is great; let’s give young queer horror fans some representation.’ But I think for 10 seconds, I wondered, ‘is it too obvious coming from me?’ Fortunately, my fellow executive producers David Kirschner and Nick Antosca said, ‘absolutely do it!’” Mancini says.

Mancini referred to these episodes in another interview as the “first season,” so hopefully we’ll get another season and more time to explore this queer storyline in this classic horror universe.

Screenshot courtesy of Syfy and USA Networks