Syfy visits grindhouse with Blood Drive

US cable channel Syfy has greenlit Blood Drive, a 13-part scripted series based on the classic grindhouse movie genre.

Billed as “high-octane” and “over-the-top”, the show is set in a dystopian future in LA where the city’s last good cop is forced to join a gory cross-country death race in cars powered by blood.

Executive producers John Hlavin (Underworld: Awakening) and David Straiton (Bates Motel), the latter of whom will direct.

James Roland wrote the initial pilot under Hlavin’s supervision and will be a supervising producer. Fredrik Malmberg (not to be confused with Eccho Rights chief Fredrik af Malmberg) and Mark Wheeler will be producers.

“This highly stylised roller coaster ride is a throwback to 1970s grindhouse cinema,” said Syfy and Chiller president Dave Howe (pictured). “With its fast-paced thrills and indie feel, Blood Drive will make an exciting and edgy addition to Syfy’s growing slate of original scripted series.”

“The grindhouse cinema style remains largely untapped in television,” said Jeff Wachtel, chief content oficer, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment and president, Universal Cable Productions.

“The combination of gritty action and dark humor can push the envelope in some fun and unexpected ways. Blood Drive has all these elements and more.”