In case there are any artistically-inclined fans of A&E's upcoming Bates Motel interested in creating a piece of the show, executive producer Carlton Cuse has put out a call for an opening title sequence. Through January 3, fans can submit videos, graphics, and other ideas to the show's Facebook page. Cuse, who will ultimately choose the winner, says, "We want to give fans the chance to participate in the show. We're looking for an awesome 15-second title sequence that captures the feel of Bates Motel -- not as a slasher/horror show, but as a complex, character-based thriller." Considering the prevalence of fan art, plus the current Hitchcock fever we've been experiencing, this seems like a really great opportunity to rouse a fan base that might have its doubts about a Psycho prequel series by making them feel like a significant part of the production. Bates Motel is set to premiere on A&E in March. (via The Hollywood Reporter) Read the rest

Two tiny, creepy previews for A&E's upcoming Psycho-inspired series.

When you watch Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and see the corpse of Norman Bates' mother revealed, don't you wonder what she used to look like? I mean, Norman was kind enough to put on a wig and give us an idea, but in the end, he was still just a very disturbed man in a dress. Not the most accurate representation of Mrs. Norma Bates. But A&E is going to finally end all that wondering we've been doing now that they've cast Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air) as Mother. Dear, dear Mother.

I suppose the other news is that yes, this Psycho series is actually still happening, despite no one really asking for it. But while it's never encouraging news to hear that someone is trying to capitalize on a classic horror movie by turning it into a TV show about already-existing characters (because that's generally known as "fan fiction"), at least it's coming from interesting people. Notably, the executive producer and writer of Lost, Carlton Cuse. Nothing "run of the mill" is coming from Carlton Cuse. And this show, Bates Motel, is promising a Twin Peaks-level of weirdness and mystery for the story that will tell us what Norma Bates did to her son that turned him into such a demented person. I'm not going to lie -- that sounds pretty interesting. A&E clearly agreed when they picked the whole thing up for series right off the bat.

Farmiga's Norma is being described as "a complicated, passionate and compelling woman who's a smart, multidimensional character always capable of surprising people." Read the rest