Christian Slater To Play Mulgarath In 'The Spiderwick Chronicles'

Mulgarath The Spiderwick Chronicles — Robin Marchant/Getty Images/Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

EXCLUSIVE: Christian Slater has been tapped as a major lead in The Spiderwick Chronicles, Disney+’s live-action series adaptation of the popular fantasy books.

Slater will play Mulgarath (alter ego Dr. Dorian Brauer), a capital-V Villain who does what all ogres do — he eats people, an insatiable desire to consume. Mulgarath wants the secrets contained in Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to the Natural World for a nefarious scheme that will satisfy his hunger. I hear this is a one-season commitment.

Based on the series of bestselling books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, The Spiderwick Chronicles is a contemporary American gothic coming-of-age story that addresses kids and families dealing with mental health issues among other relevant topics. Upon leaving New York and moving to Michigan and into their run-down ancestral home—The Spiderwick Estate—with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate, fantastical world.

Kat Coiro will direct the first two episodes of the series, a modern coming-of-age story combined with fantasy adventure, produced by Paramount Television Studios and 20th Television. Aron Eli Coleite (Locke & Key) is showrunner and exec produces with Coiro, Holly Black, DiTerlizzi, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, D.J. Goldberg and Julie Kane-Ritsch.

Slater recently wrapped Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut Pussy Island with Channing Tatum and Naomie Ackie, and Jerry Seinfeld’s directorial debut Unfrosted: A Pop Tart Story. He also filmed action-comedy Freelance alongside John Cena, FX’s Fleishman Is In Trouble and was the narrator of the animated spinoff The Boys: Diabolical. He was recently nominated for a Critics Choice Award for his performance in Peacock’s Dr. Death

Slater, a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards winner for his starring role in Mr. Robot, is repped by UTA and Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen.