The Passage Gets Premiere Date at Fox

Fox is really vamping it up at midseason: The Passage, a drama based on Justin Cronin’s novels about a vampire virus, will get underway Monday, Jan. 14, at 9/8c, the network announced Tuesday.

The series stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Pitch) as a federal agent tasked to bring a young girl (played by Saniyya Sidney, Fences) to a secret medical facility where scientists are attempting to manipulate a virus that could cure all disease. (It could also turn the entire human race into bloodsucking fiends — the series refers to them as “virals” — and bring about the apocalypse… which [Spoiler alert!] is exactly what happens in the books on which the series is based.)

The series’ cast also includes Henry Ian Cusick (Lost), Jamie McShane (Bloodline), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Entourage), Brianne Howey (The Exorcist) and McKinley Belcher III (Ozark); Jennifer Ferrin (As the World Turns) and James Le Gros (Justified) will recur. (Check out our knee-jerk reaction to the series’ original trailer here.)

Liz Heldens (Friday Night Lights) writes the series, which she executive-produces alongside Ridley Scott (Gladiator) and Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), among others.

Current time-slot occupant 9-1-1, which in January will be only about two-thirds of the way through its 18-episode sophomore season, will resume its run in the spring (exact date TBA).

Press PLAY on a new preview for the series (above), watch TVLine’s Comic-Con interview with the cast (below), then hit the comments: Are you planning to watch The Passage this winter?