Eddie Izzard To Star In And Produce NBC's 'Munsters' Reboot

Eddie Izzard is in final negotiations to star in and produce NBC’s Munsters reboot Mockingbird Lane. Izzard is the first actor cast in the pilot, written by Bryan Fuller and to be directed by Bryan Singer. Mockingbird Lane is described as a reinvention of the 1960s sitcom about a family of “monsters” that has striking visuals in the vein of Fuller’s ABC dramedy Pushing Daisies. Izzard will play Grandpa, the Munster family patriarch, a powerful, ancient vampire with an irrepressible twinkle in his eye. He can shapeshift into rats, wolves, and other creatures at will, but he’s also dapper and charming in a fedora; he is a Don Juan-type womanizer with penchant for flashy, sexy outfits. Izzard was originally offered the role, played by Al Lewis on the original series, in January when he was tied to a drama project he had in development at FX. Facing casting difficulties, NBC rolled the pilot to June and spent the time developing the show’s visual style and settings. Meanwhile, Izzard, repped by UTA and The Collective, became available and, after fielding an offer for another pilot, he was approached again for Mockingbird Lane. Impressed by the Fuller and Singer’s vision for the Munsters world, he came on board the Universal TV-produced project as a star and a producer.