CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED DIRECTOR JUAN ANTONIO BAYONA TO DIRECT FIRST TWO EPISODES OF SHOWTIME(R) SERIES "PENNY DREADFUL"

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 18, 2013) - Critically-acclaimed, award-winning Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona (The Impossible, The Orphanage) will helm the first two episodes in the eight episode series order of the upcoming SHOWTIME drama PENNY DREADFUL - created, written and executive produced by three-time Oscar(R) nominee John Logan (Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator) and executive produced by Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) and Neal Street's Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road, Call The Midwife). PENNY DREADFUL, a psychosexual horror series, features some of literature's most iconic figures, and will begin production in London this fall.

In PENNY DREADFUL, some of literature's most famously terrifying characters - including Dr. Frankenstein and his creature, Dorian Gray and iconic figures from the novel Dracula - become embroiled in Victorian London. The series weaves together these classic horror origin stories as the characters grapple with their monstrous alienation. This project marks Logan and Mendes' second major collaboration, following Skyfall, their box office record-breaking James Bond film, which Mendes directed and Logan co-wrote; and their first ever collaboration for television. The project will be produced by Mendes' production company Neal Street Productions.

Bayona is an acclaimed and award-winning director, best known for his work on the hugely successful 2007 horror film The Orphanage and the 2012 Oscar-contender The Impossible, starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts in her Golden Globe(R) and Oscar-nominated role.