FX's 'From Hell' Series Adapts Alan Moore, Eddie Campbell's Jack The Ripper Comic Book!

FX will develop a serial killer drama based on the graphic novel, From Hell, from author Alan Moore (Watchmen) and artist Eddie Campbell (Captain America: Homeland). Made into a feature starring Johnny Depp (The Rum Diary) and Heather Graham (The Hangover) in 2001, the FX series will dive deep into the unsolved murders of Jack The Ripper.

The graphic novel originally published in serial format from 1989 to 1996. The serials were then collected in a massive book in 1999, which theorizes the possible identity and motive behind the Jack the Ripper murders. "From Hell" refers to the message the actual killer wrote in a letter to the police.

A departure from other serial killer works, From Hell reveals the true identity of the killer in the first page. From there, Inspector Frederick Abberline investigates the Ripper crimes, while being blocked at his every turn by government officials. Abberline faces corruption within his own police squad as he deduces the government is protecting the real killer.

Known for Menace To Society and Dead Presidents, the Hughes Brothers adapted the 572 page comic for the big screen. According to Deadline, screenwriter David Arata (Children Of Men) will write the pilot. The Hughes brothers are not involved in the project, but producer Don Murphy will return to serve as executive producer.

Because huge chunks of the graphic novel was trimmed for the big screen, Murphy believes the source material would work best in long-form storytelling, as a serialized miniseries. Just like the comic, the series will avoid being a whodunit mystery and focus on the drama behind the settings and the characters. Campbell's stark black and white artwork would definitely work as a period drama.

Check out the From Hell trailer:

From Hell is expected to premiere on FX in the near-feature. Readers, would you like to see a serial killer drama based on Jack the Ripper?