Jordan Peele will produce ‘Scare Tactics’ reboot for USA Network
Jordan Peele and his Monkeypaw Productions will produce a reboot of the hidden camera prank show “Scare Tactics,” which has been greenlit by USA Network.
The comedy-horror show will debut on the Basic Cable Car this fall. According to the official description, the show will “turn unsuspecting individuals into the protagonists of their own horror movies. This pulse-pounding show offers a cinematic approach to the hidden camera concept. Set up by their friends and family, these unwitting participants are placed in hilariously twisted scenarios with completely compelling stories that blur the lines of reality, horror and comedy. As they make one surreal decision after another, the audience will laugh, jump and be left breathless for more.”
“We at Monkeypaw are so grateful to be able to reimagine one of our all-time favorite hidden camera shows. Working with showrunner Elan Gale, one of the most creative and mischievous minds in unscripted television, and Scott Hallock, the brilliant creator of the original ‘Scare Tactics,’ was an absolute blast,” said Win Rosenfeld, president of Monkeypaw Productions . “It’s cathartic and hilarious to see people get a little scared, and the scenarios we’ve created for this season are really wild. We can’t wait to share some light-hearted schadenfreude with audiences soon.”
The original “Scare Tactics” aired for five seasons on fellow NBCUniversal cable network Syfy (then the Sci-Fi Channel) between 2003 and 2013. Shannen Doherty was the original host of the show, followed by Stephen Baldwin and finally Tracy Morgan. Jokes on the show included making campers believe they were being attacked by Big Foot and staging a UFO kidnapping.
“What do you get when you combine Jordan Peele, hidden cameras, unsuspecting people and horror movie scenarios? You’re about to find out!” said Toby Gorman, president of Universal Television Alternative Studio. “It was a phenomenal experience working with Monkeypaw Productions, NBCU and USA Network to bring one of the most creatively scary and hilarious projects to life. We can’t wait for audiences to join in the fun of our first unscripted project with Jordan, as it perfectly combines horror, humor and reality.”
“Scare Tactics” is produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio in association with Monkeypaw Productions and WMTI Productions, Inc. Peele, Rosenfeld and Jamal Watson are executive producers for Monkeypaw. Scott Hallock is executive producer for WMTI Productions, Inc. Elan Gale is executive producer and showrunner. The “Scare Tactics” format is proprietary to WMTI Productions, Inc.
“Reimagining ‘Scare Tactics’ with Jordan, Monkeypaw and UTAS is a dream come true,” said Hallock. “Fans have been asking us to bring back ‘Scare Tactics’ for years, and it was a great opportunity to work with this team. There is no one better at horror and comedy than Jordan and Monkeypaw.”
