Blumhouse's THE QUIET TENANT Series Moves Forward with Charlize Theron and CSI Creator Anthony E. Zuiker
CSI creator Anthony E. Zuiker is set to writer, executive producer, and be the showrunner for Blumhoue’s psychological thriller series adaptation of The Quiet Tenant.
Charlize Theron has also jumped on board the project, which is “a psychological thriller about kidnapper and serial killer Aidan Thomas, narrated by those closest to him: his 13-year-old daughter, his girlfriend, and the one victim he has spared.
The story explores the “psychological impact of Aidan’s crimes on the women in his life — and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back.”
Blumhouse’s Jason Blum said in a statement: “I’ve been a big fan of Anthony’s cinematic style and approach to storytelling on TV since the early days of CSI.
“I knew the minute he pitched The Quiet Tenant that he was the right voice to bring Clémence Michallon’s heart-pounding novel to television, and we are thrilled to produce this project alongside the talented team at Secret Menu who has produced some of the best female character-driven film and TV projects to date.”
Zuiker added: “When I read Clémence Michallon’s The Quiet Tenant, I could not put it down. The descriptive nature of the story and its thrilling sensibilities in the narrative spoke to me for the small screen. This is a story about a woman taking her power back against the most pulse hammering of circumstances.”
Producer Dawn Olmstead went on to say: “When Jason sent us this intense, taut thriller that took such an original approach to an abduction story, we immediately said yes because it is exactly what Secret Menu was built for. We are so lucky to be working with Blumhouse again and to have scored Anthony Zuiker to adapt.”
In the story, “Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone.
“But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.”
When Aidan’s wife dies, “he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a ‘family friend’ who needs a place to stay.
“Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years.
“As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.”
It sounds like this could make for a great series!