The DEADLY CLASS Cast on Bringing the Graphic Novel to Life

For nearly five years, DEADLY CLASS fans have been able to follow the journey of the students of Kings Dominion School for the Deadly Arts, a school for assassins, via the Image Comics graphic novel penned by Rick Remender and Wes Craig. Now, Syfy is launching an adaptation of the series with its drama, DEADLY CLASS.

In the ’80s-set series, Marcus (Benjamin Wadsworth), a homeless teen, is recruited by the school…and he quickly finds himself in over his head. There are complicated love triangles, rival gangs, and, oh, yeah, pretty deadly courses to survive. The show also stars Benedict Wong, Lana Condor, María Gabriela de Faría, Luke Tennie, Liam James, and Michel Duval.

Of course, bringing a popular story to life in a new medium has its own risks and challenges—but the actors have been gratified by the early response to the series. (Syfy dropped the full premiere early online.) “It’s actually been overwhelmingly positive, surprisingly,” Wadsworth says in the video below. “I know comic book fans–I’m a comic book fan myself—[and] they’re passionate when it comes to adaptations that aren’t almost exactly like the original…[but] they’re enjoying the pilot so far.”

“It is a responsibility to bring a comic book to life,” de Faría (Maria) adds. “You want to give the fans of the comic everything they want. They’ve known these characters for years now. It’s a responsibility as an actor to play it right. We’re very blessed to have Rick Remender as our producer, showrunner, and writer.”

And if you enjoyed the pilot, the best is yet to come: “We didn’t even know the ride we were getting into when we filmed the pilot,” Michel Duval (Chico) teases. “[The fans] don’t even know the ride they’re getting into after the pilot.”

Check out more from the cast!

Wadsworth and de Faría:

Duval, Liam James, and Luke Tennie:

DEADLY CLASS, Series Premiere, Wednesday, January 16, 10/9c

RELATED:

• DEADLY CLASS: Watch the Syfy Pilot Now!
• Syfy Orders DEADLY CLASS Adaptation

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