Netflix casts Jenna Ortega in lead role for Wednesday Addams series

Netflix has cast Hollywood actor Jenna Ortega for the lead role in its Wednesday Addams live-action series. Titled 'Wednesday', it was originally ordered to series at the streamer back in February.

According to Variety, the series has been described as a supernaturally infused mystery charting Wednesday Addams' years as a student at Nevermore Academy.

Wednesday's attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town, and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago -- all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships at Nevermore.

Ortega is no stranger to Netflix, having appeared in the Netflix series 'You' and 'Richie Rich', while also lending her voice to the animated show 'Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous'. Ortega's other voice acting roles include the Disney Channel series 'Elena of Avalor'. She is also known for playing Young Jane in the critically-acclaimed CW series 'Jane the Virgin'.

On the feature side, she has starred in projects such as 'Insidious: Chapter 2', 'The Fallout', and 'The Babysitter: Killer Queen'. Next, she will be seen in the new feature installment in the 'Scream' franchise, which is slated to debut in 2022.

'Wednesday' has received an eight-episode order. Al Gough and Miles Millar created the series and will serve as showrunners and executive producers. Burton is onboard to direct and executive produce. Other executive producers are Steve Stark, Andrew Mittman for 1.21, Kevin Miserocchi of the Tee and Charles Addams Foundation, Kayla Alpert, Jonathan Glickman for Glickmania, and Gail Berman.

Mittman, Berman, and Miserocchi all executive produced the 2019 animated 'Addams Family' movie, while Glickman is an executive producer on the upcoming sequel MGM Television is set to produce.

Wednesday has been portrayed onscreen numerous times over the years, with Lisa Loring originally starring as the character in the 1960s 'Addams Family' TV series. Christina Ricci also famously played the character in two 'Addams Family' features in the 1990s. Chloe Grace Moretz voices Wednesday in the animated films.

( With inputs from ANI )