Dan Stevens’ New Horror Series The Terror “Has Nods” To His 10/10 Marvel Series

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Dan Stevens returns to horror with The Terror: The Devil in Silver, a new series that echoes themes from his previous popular work.

The third season of this anthology series, executive produced by Ridley Scott, is based on Victor LaValle’s 2012 novel. LaValle and Chris Cantwell, known for Halt and Catch Fire, are the showrunners. Jared Harris stars as Pepper, a man trying to restart his musical career by teaching, while also caring for a mother and child.

When his partner’s ex-husband arrives and causes a violent fight, Pepper is arrested and sent to New Hyde Psychiatric Hospital, a rundown facility overseen by the unsettling Dr. Anand and Nurse Chris. Trapped until the staff decides he’s well enough to leave, Pepper begins to suspect a sinister presence within New Hyde is keeping patients from ever being released.

The cast of The Terror: The Devil in Silver includes CCH Pounder as Miss Chris, Aasif Mandvi as Dr. Anand, Judith Light, Chinaza Uche, and b as patients Dorry, Kofi, and Loochie, along with John Benjamin Hickey playing a version of the terrifying entity at the heart of the story. The first two episodes were directed by Karyn Kusama, who has received an Emmy nomination, and the show has been highly praised by critics. It initially earned a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes before settling at a still-impressive 92%.

Before the release of The Terror: The Devil in Silver on May 7th, Grant Hermanns of ScreenRant spoke with Dan Stevens about the show. During their conversation, Stevens discussed his character and how he shares similarities with McMurphy from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – a role that won Jack Nicholson an Oscar – and with his own previous work on the Marvel series Legion. Like those characters, Stevens’ role in The Terror acts as an emotional center for the audience, while also being a somewhat questionable source of information.

As a film buff, I found what actor Steven expressed about his role particularly interesting. He said the character of Pepper really drew him in because he wasn’t playing a naive victim. Pepper isn’t some innocent lost in a bad system; he’s a flawed guy with his own issues who just happens to be stuck inside a truly messed-up situation – the American healthcare system, to be exact. And as someone also involved behind the scenes, he hinted that this season of The Terror definitely takes inspiration from shows like Legion and films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. It’s a smart move, really – some of the most compelling stories are always set within the walls of psychiatric institutions.

Dan Stevens describes the concept of wrongful imprisonment as a form of mental torture, bringing together a diverse group of people society has rejected. He highlights a key point from Victor’s novel: taking away someone’s humanity doesn’t solve problems – it creates them. Removing a person’s identity and control, then being shocked when they don’t improve, isn’t treatment – it’s simply cruel and disguised as care.

The Terror’s Continued Success Proves Networks Wrong About 1 Thing

I’m a big fan of The Terror and think The Devil in Silver is excellent throughout. I’m curious to know how well you knew Victor’s original novel and the series before you joined the project.

I came to the project not having read the source novel. The creators, Victor and Chris, actually asked me not to read it, saying it was very different from the current script. Of course, I read it anyway! What really grabbed me was the strong social commentary woven into the horror story, and how it was based on real events and trauma, cleverly disguised as an allegory. I found it really unique. I also love anthology series, even though networks often shy away from them. Some of the best shows, like Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities or Love, Death & Robots, are anthologies. They allow for experimentation and fresh stories. With The Terror, the network gets the recognition of a known title, while we get to create a completely new story, with a new cast and setting, that still delivers on the horror and haunting atmosphere, but is distinct from the previous seasons. Hopefully, it’s incredibly entertaining.

ScreenRant praised the series for its exploration of dehumanization, noting it depicted the issue powerfully, especially compared to other stories set in mental health facilities. They particularly highlighted the character of Kofi, played by Chinaza, calling his performance outstanding. The interviewer expressed interest in learning about the collaborative process between the actors to create the distinctive relationship between Kofi and Pepper.

One of the things I really appreciate about being an actor, and about this particular story, is how unexpected the relationships are. I hadn’t met Chinaza before we started filming, but I knew people who had worked with him and always heard amazing things. He’s a truly gifted and captivating actor, and he brought so much heart, humor, and genuine warmth to his character – it was instantly endearing. Honestly, his character’s story is just devastating. We were lucky to have such a talented group of New York actors, each bringing their own rich experiences to their roles. It made for such a lively and fun atmosphere on set – every day was filled with a diverse range of personalities. But Chinaza really stood out. I’m glad you brought him up, because I think his storyline is especially powerful and stays with you. It’s a testament to the novel, and to Victor’s skill as a writer, that the story so effectively explores the social issues surrounding race and class – it’s genuinely haunting, and it really resonates.

Be sure to dive into some of our other Terror: Devil in Silver-related coverage with:

  • Victor LaValle, Chris Cantwell & Karyn Kusama break down their approach to adapting The Devil in Silver
  • Dan Stevens offering a brief tease of his Dexter: Resurrection season 2 villain
  • Judith Light addressing the chances of a Law and Order return
  • Kusama reflecting on her scrapped “new take” on Dracula and potential revival at Blumhouse

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2026-05-07 23:30