Syfy’s upcoming series Hunters will show us what the world would be like if aliens were terrorists.
Based on the novel Alien Hunter by Whitley Strieber, the story follows Baltimore FBI agent Flynn (Nathan Phillips) who is trying to piece together his wife’s sudden disappearance. She was kidnapped by a group of aliens known as Hunters and meanwhile a secret government unit called the Exo Terrorism Unit (ETU) recruits Flynn to their ranks. There he meets Regan (Britne Oldford) as one of ETU’s best operatives with secrets of her own.
Executive producers Gale Anne Hurd (The Walking Dead, The Terminator Series) and Natalie Chaidez (Heroes, 12 Monkeys) were on hand as well as Oldford, Strieber and special effects guru Justin Dix.
Dix excitedly discusses how the team really wanted to bring a sense of realism to the show by using practical special effects (along with new techniques and innovations) instead of solely relying on CGI. He talks passionately about how he and Chaidez have geeked out over the look and feel of the world they’ve been building in this new show.
3D print this skull in time for the series premiere of #Hunters this April: http://t.co/0leBYMOx90 pic.twitter.com/k6jtKHKqGS
— Hunters (@HuntersSyfy) October 8, 2015
“This is kind of not your typical sci-fi show. It definitely has horror elements, which is great because it’s something you haven’t seen before. A little bit gritty and gruesome,” said Dix.
At the heart of it though Chaidez explains that Hunters is an allegory for terrorism. “It does what science fiction does best, which is take on social issues, cultural issues and really explore it.”
Oldford also discusses her character Regan, who turns out to be a Hunter herself. She is a conflicted individual trying to determine if she belongs with the humans while struggling with self-acceptance for the abilities she has. In addition while most origin stories are usually slowly unveiled, Chaidez noted that viewers learn Regan’s background pretty early on.
The show is currently being filmed in Australia and also stars Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck) as McCarthy, an alien Hunter cell leader and junkie. From the trailer above McMahon is looking very silver foxish these days!
A little bit Homeland, a little bit X-Files, and a whole lot of action, Hunters looking to be a show that we can’t miss in 2016.
Watch the rest of our interview:
Hunters comes to Syfy April 2016.
