Winter is Coming joined the creative team behind the upcoming series Yaga at a New York Comic Con press conference. The show's executive producer, writer, and showrunner, Kat Sandler, was in attendance, along with executive producers Mackenzie Donaldson and Carrie-Anne Moss, who stars as Katherine in the series.
Yaga, based on Sandler's play of the same name, follows private detective Rapp (Noah Reid), who investigates the disappearance of small town local heir Henry Park (Hudson Williams). In his investigation, Rapp's paths cross with Moss' Katherine, a mysterious university professor, as well as some ancient magic far above his pay grade, in this modern-day retelling of the classic "Baba Yaga" myth.
Moss, Sandler, and Donaldson sell audiences on Yaga throughout the conference, making the series seem like the perfect Halloween binge and explaining what to expect for both viewers going in blind and for longtime fans of the tall tale who may have even caught Sandler's play during its initial Toronto run.
Sympathy for the Devil?
Throughout the conference, Moss discusses her morally ambiguous take on Katherine.
"I never care if anyone misunderstands a character," Moss said. "Why do we have to understand why she's doing something bad?"
Moss' answer sets the stage for a delightfully devilish take on Katherine, who she describes as "not the most trustworthy," and someone who loves to spar, poke, and have fun with others.
With the prominence of the "sympathetic villain" throughout modern media, Katherine seems like a fun contrast to several of this day and age's horror baddies, and getting to see Moss, the legendary actress best known for her work on The Matrix films, Christopher Nolan's Memento, and Marvel's Netflix series, especially Jessica Jones, take on this unapologetic role promises to be a terrifying treat.
Why do audiences love witches?
The tale of Baba Yaga has endured throughout generations, surviving from its Slavic folklore origins to modern-day adaptations. As evidenced by the prominence of similar witch-related shows, such as Mayfair Witches and Wandavision/Agatha All Along, and fan-favorite witch-y characters, such as Game of Thrones' Melisandre (Carice van Houten), audiences are still drawn to these types of stories and figures.
Sandler believes that the popularity of witches stems from an attempt to reclaim the women unjustly called "witches" throughout history. In this patriarchal world, watching women wield power in a way deemed uniquely "feminine" allows them to put their own satisfying spin on the horror genre. While Sandler explained that her witchy story will be about and for women, she also emphasized that everyone deserves to see and understand these types of tales.
To Moss, the notion of "witches" comes from creative women. The demonization of this positive quality in many women allows storytellers to play with that creativity in the form of magic. Moss added that she was determined to craft her own human character inspired by the Baba Yaga myth, and added that her default "witch" story from which (no pun intended) she pulled inspiration was Bewitched, a more comedic take on the trope.
Additionally, witch stories endure now because of their historical popularity. Just about every culture has their own version of a "witch" throughout their mythology, and modern storytellers are still excited to add to that canon.
Since Yaga is a Canadian production, with Sandler comedically praising her all-star Canadian cast as her "Canadian Pokémon" or "the Canadian Avengers," Winter is Coming asked how she planned to put her own Canadian spin on the evergreen story.
Sandler responded that she aimed to work "against Canadian sensibilities," citing stereotypes that Canadians are "too nice to take up more space," so she aimed to tell a "bigger and more ambitious story" that reaches beyond just the great white north.
What to expect from Yaga
Per its creative team, Yaga pulls inspiration from hit thrillers from the 90s and early 2000s, such as Basic Instinct and Twin Peaks. Given their confirmation that the series will feature music from Alanis Morisette, the '90s influence will almost certainly feel abundantly clear when watching.
Additionally, Sandler explained that the series will expand upon the mystery aspect from the stage play. She claims that she hopes the audience will be "halfway through episode 8 and still not know what is going on."
Sandler, an artist who was always inspired by prestige TV throughout her stage work, feels Yaga's premiere as a full circle moment, as one of her plays is now becoming what she hopes will be revered as the same type of television that influenced her.
Make sure to catch Yaga, premiering on Oct. 23 on AMC+ in the United States, and on Crave in Canada.
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