The streaming video service released the very first preview of its upcoming, eight-episode series based on the popular series of young-adult books, and the teaser features The Tick and Men in Black II actor Patrick Warburton portraying the titular Lemony Snicket and offering a dire warning to viewers about the show.
“Don’t make the same mistake Netflix has, and look away, before this dire tale is even filmed, and avoid the cruel whimsy and whimsical cruelty of what’s to come,” he tells the audience.
The series is based on the novels of the same name penned by Daniel Handler (who wrote them under the name “Lemony Snicket”), which chronicle the trials and tribulations of the Baudelaire orphans — a trio of children named Violet, Klaus, and Sunny — who are sent to live with their evil relative, Count Olaf. With Olaf attempting to steal the orphans’ inheritance, the young trio must avoid countless disasters orchestrated by their diabolical guardian, and in doing so, unravel the mystery of their parents’ death.
Along with Warburton in the role of Lemony Snicket (who both narrates and plays a role in the story), A Series of Unfortunate Events also stars Neil Patrick Harris as Count Olaf, Joan Cusack as Justice Strauss, Malina Weissman as Violet Baudelaire, Louis Hynes as Klaus Baudelaire, and K. Todd Freeman as Mr. Poe.
Warburton’s warning to viewers is in line with a recurring element of the book series in which Lemony Snicket — as the narrator — regularly attempts to dissuade readers from continuing on with the book.
Over the course of the 13-book series of novels, the stories have collectively sold more than 60 million copies, and the series has also spawned a 2004 live-action movie, a video game, and various other spinoff projects.
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events premieres January 13, 2017, on Netflix.
