Métal Hurlant Chronicles

Métal Hurlant Chronicles
TV poster
Genre	Science fiction, Action, Thriller, Adventure, Fantasy
Format	Anthology
Created by	Jean-Pierre Dionnet (Métal Hurlant)
Developed by	Guillaume Lubrano
Written by	Justine Veillot Guillaume Lubrano Dan Wickline
Directed by	Guillaume Lubrano
Starring	Rutger Hauer Kelly Brook Scott Adkins Michael Jai White Joe Flanigan James Marsters
Narrated by	Benoît Allemane (French)
Theme music composer	Jesper Kyd
Composer(s)	Jesper Kyd
Country of origin	France and Belgium
Original language(s)	English, French
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	6
Production
Producer(s)	Justine Veillot Guillaume Lubrano Léon Pérahia Sylvain Goldberg Serge De Poucques
Editor(s)	Sébastien Bacchini Anima Rolland
Location(s)	Romania
Cinematography	Matthieu Misiraca
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	26 minutes
Production company(s)	WE Productions Sparkling Aranéo Nexus Factory Dupuis Audiovisuel France Télévisions Fortis Film Fund Nolife Les Humanoïdes Associés
Distributor	Panini Group
Broadcast
Original channel	France 4
Picture format	HDTV
Audio format	Surround
First shown in	France
Original run	27 October 2012 (2012-10-27) – present
External links
Official Website (French)

Métal Hurlant Chronicles is an English-language Franco-Belgian television science fiction anthology series based on the popular comics anthology magazine Métal Hurlant, known in the United States as Heavy Metal. All the episodes are a self-contained story taking place on a different planet with a different cast, linked together only by the idea that an asteroid, the "Métal Hurlant", passes the planet in question during the events of the story. The show's premise originated with Guillaume Lubrano, who put together a self-financed pilot to pitch the show, which was broadcast as the series' third episode. Lubrano and Justine Veillot produce the show through their company WE Productions. It was largely filmed in Bucarest, Romania.

The series premiered on French television on 27 October 2012 on France 4. Broadcast rights for various European countries such as Germany, Austria, Luxembourg were bought by Sony Pictures Television.^[1]

Plot

As an anthology series, each episode is a self-contained science-fiction story taking place in a different world, with different characters played by a different cast and adapted from a story previously published in the Métal Hurlant magazine. However the show also proposes that all the stories are linked together by an asteroid, called the "Métal Hurlant", which is passing close to the planet where the episode's story is taking place.

The opening credits, narrated in French by voice actor Benoît Allemane, inform that the "Métal Hurlant" (screaming metal) is the last fragment of what was once a living planet, lead to destruction by the madness of its inhabitants and condemned to travel ceaselessly through space and time, screaming its sadness and despair.

Cast

A number of notable British, French, American and Dutch actors have participated in the various episodes, including Scott Adkins, Michael Jai White, James Marsters, Michelle Ryan, David Belle, Dominique Pinon, Kelly Brook, Joe Flanigan and Rutger Hauer among others.

Broadcast

After being initially expected for early 2012,^[1] all six episodes of season one were broadcast on France 4 in a late night time slot over the course of two nights in either default dubbed French or optional subtitled original English audio tracks, between 27 October and 3 November of the same year.

Nolife is expected to rebroadcast the series in France sometime in 2013.

Sony Pictures Television has bought the broadcast rights for several European countries, however no plans have been revealed to date.

Reception

Broadcast on 27 October 2012 after 3 episodes of Doctor Who that gathered a 1.4% share on the night, Métal Hurlant succeeded in raising the global share for channel France 4, bringing it to a tie with W9 and beating out Gulli, NT1 & D8.

The premiere episode attracted 347,000 viewers, garnering a 2.2% share at 11 PM, but lost about 100,000 viewers for the next two episodes broadcast on the same night. Overall the night held 2.4% of 15 to 34-year olds and 3.5% of men aged 15 to 49.^[2]

Future

A second season of six additional episodes is expected.

Series overview

Episodes

References

External links

• Official website at France4.fr
• Métal Hurlant Chronicles at the Internet Movie Database