The new series will center on Vanessa Helsing, who is resurrected five years in the future and learns vampires have taken over the world.

Syfy is pulling from the book of Dracula for its latest series.

The NBCUniversal-owned cable network has acquired Van Helsing to series with writer Neil LaBute set as showrunner, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Originally introduced as Professor Abraham van Helsing in the 1897 gothic horror novel Dracula, the character is best known as a vampire hunter, monster hunter and arch nemesis of Count Dracula.

In this new interpretation, the central character is now a female, Vanessa Helsing, the next in a lineage of warriors who must lead mankind against a world controlled by vampires. When Vanessa is resurrected five years in the future, she learns vampires have taken over the world and that she possesses unique power over them. She is essentially humanity’s last hope to lead an offensive to take back what has been lost.

LaBute will exec produce with Simon Barry, Evan Tyler, Dave Brown, Daniel March and Chad Oakes and Mike Frisley for Nomadic Pictures (Fargo). Nomadic Pictures will produce the series and distribute it within the U.S. Dynamic Television will handle international distribution.

"I am extremely excited to be working with Syfy and Nomadic Pictures to create a unique, character-driven action series that will move the traditional vampire tropes into bold and unexpected new territories” LaBute said in a statement. “This is a wonderful chance for us to forge great stories and unforgettable characters and throw them into a world where the stakes – both dramatic and personal – are tremendously high."

Production on the 13-episode first season will begin in January in Vancouver for a fall 2016 launch.

“Van Helsing represents a new mythology in sci-fi by challenging traditional vampire rules," said Oakes, co-chairman of Nomadic Pictures." The series is unique in exploring a world completely dominated by vampires, while the human characters have to learn the importance of working together to ensure their survival. Mike and I are thrilled to team up once again with the talented Neil LaBute to deliver an amazing series."

The pickup comes in the midst of a rebranding for Syfy, which is hoping to turns its focus back to genre fare with upcoming projects like Childhood's End and The Expanse. The network recently canceled Defiance, Dominion and Haven.

“Van Helsing reimagines a classic story in a compelling new way, featuring a bold and complex heroine”, said Chris Regina, Syfy's senior vp program strategy. "This high octane acquired original series will be a terrific addition to our lineup next year."

Van Helsing was most recently adapted for the big screen in 2004. The film, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale, grossed more than $300 million worldwide. David Warner (Titanic) portrayed Van Helsing on the Showtime series Penny Dreadful for two episodes in 2014.

LaBute, whose credits include Full Circle, Death at a Funeral and Lakeview Terrace, is repped by Gersh and Gendler & Kelly.

Kelly Overton has been cast as the lead in Van Helsing, the 13-episode sci-fi series from Nomadic Pictures (Fargo, Hell On Wheels), which is set to air on Syfy in the U.S. Also cast in the show, from Neil LaBute, are Jonathan Scarfe (Hell on Wheels), Christopher Heyerdahl (Hell on Wheels), Paul Johansson (Mad Men), David Cubitt (Ray Donovan) and Tim Guinee (Homeland).

A new take on the Dracula myth, Van Helsing chronicles the resurrection of Vanessa Helsing (Overton), the next in line of a lineage of warriors who now must lead mankind against a world controlled by vampires in the post-Rising landscape.

Scarfe plays Axel, a career Marine with unwavering devotion and loyalty to both duty and his wards, despite years of isolation and endless vampire attacks. Heyerdahl will play Sam, a survivor of the vampire Rising, who relies on his strength and observational skills to stay alive. Cubitt will play John, another survivor of the vampire Rising, whose actions are fueled by anger, prejudice, suspicion and fear. Johansson will play Dimitri, a vampire turned before the Rising, he is now the patient and calculating leader of the vampires. Cubitt will play John, another survivor of the vampire Rising, whose actions are fueled by anger, prejudice, suspicion and fear. Guinee will play Flesh, a vampire foot soldier who does battle with Vanessa and conceals a tragic past.

“We’ve been extremely blessed to get such a wonderfully talented and diverse cast for Van Helsing,” said writer/showrunner LaBute. Added Chad Oakes, Co-Chairman of Nomadic Pictures, “Kelly will be an amazing Vanessa and our lead cast is nothing short of outstanding.”

Set to direct episodes of Van Helsing are Michael Nankin (Hell on Wheels), Jason Priestley (Haven), David Frazee (Orphan Black), Simon Barry (Continuum) and Amanda Tapping (The Magicians). The series is set to begin production in Vancouver, BC on February 22. for a premiere on Syfy this fall.

Overton is best known for her regular role as Rikki Naylor, the alpha female werewolf, on HBO’s True Blood. She was most recently a series regular on Season 2 of TNT’s Legends and also recurred on The CW’s Beauty and the Beast. She is repped by Innovative Artists.

Scarfe is repped by Michael Greene & Associates and More/Medavoy; Heyerdahl is repped by Michael Greene & Associates; Johansson is repped by Gilbertson Entertainment and Stone Manners Salners Agency; Cubitt is repped by APA and The Characters; Guinee is repped by Principal Entertainment.

Executive producing the series are Chad Oakes & Mike Frislev from Nomadic Pictures, Neil LaBute, Simon Barry, Evan Tyler, Dave Brown and Dough Mankoff (Echo Lake Entertainment), as well as Daniel March (Dynamic Television). Nomadic Pictures will distribute the series within Canada, Fallout Asylum and Dynamic Television will distribute the series (initial window) in the United States. Dynamic Television is also on board as international distributor. SuperChannel and SuperEcran (Quebec) will air the Series in Canada.

In a twist on the classic vampire adventure tale, VAN HELSING revolves around unlikely heroine Vanessa Helsing (Kelly Overton, "True Blood"), who unexpectedly discovers that she holds the key to humanity's survival: her own blood! Gifted with not only an immunity to vampires, Vanessa is also capable of taking out her bloodthirsty foes by turning them into humans with her bite. Now both prey and predator, Vanessa sinks her teeth into her role as humanity's leader - and secret weapon - in their resistance against the vampires that plagued their world. An original co-production, VAN HELSING is produced by Nomadic Pictures, which also serves as the studio. Executive producers are Chad Oakes & Mike Frislev from Nomadic Pictures, showrunner/writer Neil LaBute, Simon Barry ("Continuum"), Evan Tyler (Industry Works), Dave Brown and Zadoc Angell (Echo Lake Entertainment), as well as Daniel March (Dynamic Television). Nomadic Pictures will distribute the series within Canada, Fallout Asylum and Dynamic Television will distribute the series (initial window) in the United States. Dynamic Television is also on board as international distributor.

PRINCIPAL CAST INFORMATION:
· Aleks Paunovic as Julius
· Christopher Heyerdahl as Sam
· David Cubitt as John
· Jonathan Scarfe as Axel
· Kelly Overton as Vanessa Helsing
· Paul Johansson as Dimitri
· Tim Guinee as Ted

CREW INFORMATION:
· Chad Oakes as EP
· Daniel March as EP
· Dave Brown as EP
· Evan Tyler as EP
· Michael Nankin as DIR (Pilot)
· Mike Frislev as EP
· Neil LaBute as CRTR/EP
· Simon Barry as EP

GENRE(S):
· drama

STUDIO INFORMATION:
· Nomadic Pictures