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The upcoming television series, Dead Boy Detectives, blends elements of supernatural horror and comedy with detective intrigue. Based on the DC Comics characters by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner and developed by Steve Yockey, the show follows the ghostly exploits of Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine, two deceased children who reject the afterlife to solve supernatural mysteries on Earth.
Originating in Neil Gaiman's Sandman #25 during the Season of Mists storyline, published in December 1990, the characters were crafted as part of a ghost story set within a British boarding school, highlighting the disruptions caused by Lucifer's machinations against Dream.
Their unique blend of paranormal sleuthing and youthful curiosity captured readers' imaginations, leading to their further exploration in a Vertigo Comics crossover event and their spin-off comic by Toby Litt and Mark Buckingham.
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Set in the same universe as The Sandman, the series is set to premiere on Netflix on April 25, 2024.
The protagonists of Dead Boy Detectives
George Rexstrew as Edwin Paine
In 1916, Edwin Paine was murdered at his boarding school. Subsequently, he found himself in Hell, haunted by an unseen threat as he navigated a long corridor for several decades.
However, during the Season of Mists storyline, Hell was emptied of its inhabitants, and the very same boarding school became overrun by the souls of past teachers and students who had escaped Hell.
In these perilous circumstances, Paine assisted Rowland in avoiding many dangers. Unfortunately, Rowland did not survive the ordeal. However, he reappeared as a ghost and decided to forgo the afterlife, opting instead for future adventures alongside Paine. George Rexstrew was last seen in Findhorn Case 31.08.18 (2023).
Jayden Revri as Charles Rowland
Charles Rowland was the only student remaining at the boarding school during the events of the Season of Mists storyline. Speaking about the titular characters with Radio Times, Jayden Revri said:
"You've got to think, these two boys, they were both 16, they both died, it's pretty awful what happened to them, and then they find this perfect connection between each other of wanting to do good for people who went through the same things that they did.”
He was last seen in the TV series Fate: The Winx Saga.
Main and recurring cast members of Dead Boy Detectives
Apart from the protagonists, the series features a slew of other main characters, including Yuyu Kitamura as Niko, Jenn Lyon as Esther, Kassius Nelson as Crystal Palace, Briana Cuoco as Jenny the Butcher, and Ruth Connell as the Night Nurse.
In recurring roles, viewers will get to see Lukas Gage as Thomas the Cat King, Michael Beach as Tragic Mick, David Iacono as David the Demon, Max Jenkins as Kingham, Joshua Colley as Monty, Lindsey Gort as Maxine, and Caitlin Reilly as Lily. Additionally, Kirby Howell-Baptiste is set to reprise her role as Death from The Sandman television series.
More about Dead Boy Detectives
Neil Gaiman wrote the end-of-year books for Vertigo's only crossover event, Children's Crusade, which ran from December 1993 to January 1994. It’s here that the author dubbed Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine the Dead Boy Detectives.
The story and characters provided a macabre twist on two beloved genres of British children's literature: boarding school tales and teenage detective adventures.
The characters also appeared in the short story The Books of Magic in Winter's Edge #3, which was written by Peter Gross, and had their own successful one-shots and limited series.
Notably, the characters in Dead Boy Detectives have already made their mark on-screen, with Sebastian Croft and Ty Tennant portraying Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine, respectively, in the third season of the HBO Max series Doom Patrol.
Variety reported that in September 2021, HBO Max commissioned a pilot for a potential Dead Boy Detectives series, subsequently green-lighting an eight-episode first season in April 2022. However, by February 2023, the series had transitioned from HBO Max to Netflix, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
All eight episodes of Dead Boy Detectives will debut on Netflix on Thursday, April 25, 2024.
