Eli Roth planning history of horror doc for new AMC Visionaries series

AMC is bringing a scary good idea to life: Director Eli Roth (Hostel, Cabin Fever) will executive produce AMC Visionaries: Eli Roth’s History of Horror (working title), a showcase entry in the network’s new franchise, AMC Visionaries.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this incredible series. For years, I’ve wanted to create a definitive ‘History of Horror,’ a living record of the genre with interviews from all the greats, old and new,” Roth said in a statement. “Sadly, we lose more of these masters every year and with them go their stories and experiences. This show will serve as a record for future generations — fans and filmmakers alike — to enjoy. I could not be prouder to create this with AMC.”

AMC announced the new series at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, California on Saturday. In addition to Roth’s history of horror films, another entry in the AMC Visionaries franchise, AMC Visonaries: Rap History, will focus on the history of hip-hop with legendary band The Roots working with director Alex Gibney on the project.

Both six-part series will debut in 2018. As AMC noted in its press release, the horror and hip-hop docs join previously announced series Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Comics and AMC Visionaries: James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction under the AMC Visionaries moniker.

“AMC Visionaries is all about going deep into areas of fan passion,” Charlie Collier, president of AMC, SundanceTV, and AMC Studios, said in a statement. “In addition to Robert Kirkman on comics or James Cameron on sci-fi, that AMC is going to be the home of Eli Roth’s deep dive into horror makes perfect sense given our decades-long commitment to the genre. He’ll shed light on the stories and storytellers that keep us up at night, while hip-hop royalty Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson and Tariq ‘Black Thought’ Trotter will bring fans a unique look at the stories behind hip-hop’s global influence. We’re all in and excited for these leaders to share their vision.”

But wait, there’s more: future AMC Visionaries projects in development include AMC Visionaries: History of Video Games, AMC Visionaries: Outlaws of The Internet, and AMC Visionaries: History of Martial Arts.