FX has announced that six more actors have been added to the main cast of its upcoming drama series, Kindred. Based on the bestselling and revolutionary novel by author Octavia E. Butler, the series will follow a Black woman who, while living a modern-day lifestyle, gets surprised when she is suddenly transported to a pre-Civil War Maryland plantation. As she travels back and forth, she tries to keep a grip on reality while suffering through violent racist scenarios.

Mallori Johnson was previously announced in the main role, and Kindred will mark her on-screen debut. She landed the job shortly after graduating from Juilliard in 2021. Johnson will be joined by Micah Stock (Netflix’s Bonding), Ryan Kwanten (HBO’s True Blood), Gayle Rankin (Netflix’s GLOW), Austin Smith (Hamilton), Antoinette Crowe-Legacy (Epix’s Godfather of Harlem), and David Alexander Kaplan (Shudder’s Creepshow), all of whom will be series regulars.

First published by Butler in 1979, Kindred has sold over a million copies and remains to this day one of the most influential speculative fiction novels of all time. Aside from depicting heavy themes like slavery, the novel makes a strong critique of American history and how race dynamics have deep roots that are almost impossible to tear apart.

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The pilot of Kindred is set to be directed by Janicza Bravo, who also directed the acclaimed film Zola as well as episodes for HBO’s new season of In Treatment and 2017’s Lemon. The pilot is written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Watchmen), who also executive produces along with filmmaker Darren Aronofsky. As the director is normally drawn to high concept stories like the ones told in his films mother! and The Fountain (which also have time as an important element), it will be interesting to see how his style matches with Butler's impressive story.

This will be the first screen adaptation of Kindred. FX has yet to reveal a release date and number of episodes.

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