From April 5th, Netflix subscribers will be able to check out a new series that mixes science fiction, alien invasions and a good dose of horror. In Parasyte: The GrayEarth is being invaded by an unknown force able to disguise himself in plain sight without causing any suspicion.
The teaser released by Netflix reveals that the story will star Su-in, played by Jeon So-nee. Although she was also infected with an alien parasite, something unique in her body prevented the young woman from being completely dominated by the invading forces — which did not stop the development of bizarre powers.
Manga adaptation
The production is an adaptation of the manga Parasite, by Hitoshi Iwaaki, which has sold 25 million copies around the world. Before the live-action series, it was also the basis for an anime released in 2014 (which can be seen on the streaming platform under the name Parasyte).
Despite this, the new series should not reuse its plot or bring characters known to the public.
Netflix’s intention is to create a kind of “extended universe” of the franchise, while taking advantage of its central idea of an alien invasion. However, Parasyte: The Gray should take advantage of the body horror elements of the original work, showing many tentacles and mutilated bodies in its action scenes.
What should help differentiate the adaptation is the fact that it is the first material derived from the franchise to be made in South Korea. While Parasite It has already produced an animation and some spin-offs in the past, all of them were made by Japanese authors, who used a different setting than the one the streaming platform decided to adopt.
Parasyte: The Gray has a well-known director
The Netflix adaptation is signed by Yeon Sang-Hodirector who was also responsible for the series Prophecy of Hell. Released in 2021, it tells the story of a world in which mysterious beasts emerge and kill a man in broad daylight, sharing the same unsettling setting that should be seen in Parasyte: The Gray.
Sang-Ho was also responsible for the highly praised Zombie Invasion, from 2016, which follows a family searching for the last safe place from an invasion of the undead.
Parasyte: The Gray will have several bizarre creaturesSource: Disclosure/Netflix
Parasite has already won live action films
In Iwaaki’s manga, we follow the story of young Shinichi Izumi, who escapes being controlled by a parasite by preventing it from attaching itself to his brain. However, the alien entity known as “Migi” starts to live in his right arm, which gains the ability to transform in bizarre ways.
With his new powers, the young man takes on the mission of killing the invaders, who see humans as a rich source of food. The story served as the basis for the first live-action adaptationwhich was divided between two films directed by Takashi Yamazaki, released between 2014 and 2015 in Japan.
While the original work and its adaptation bring a “happy ending”, the same may not end up happening in the new Netflix production. So far, the streaming service has not confirmed the number of episodes of Parasyte: The Graynor whether the series will have more than one season.
