As the series kicks off (Tuesday, 9 p.m.
ET), viewers will find that this isnt the first time Camp Stillwater has been plagued with tragedy.
ADAM HOROWITZ:We all went to summer camp separately.
Credit: Freeform/Katie Yu
We all were involved with murders at our summer camps.
We all were exonerated.
EDWARD KITSIS:Thats not true; I was involved with a demon and an exorcism.
Adam had a murder.
KITSIS:The demon was actually possessed.
HOROWITZ:The reality is that Ian is still possessed.
IAN GOLDBERG:Provides good fodder for the show.
At camp, you got to just be who you wanted to be.
That was really appealing for us as storytellers.
Its actually the one time in your life where you really can sort of define it.
KITSIS:Or it is really who you are, and youve been hiding it.
HOROWITZ:Exactly, so the flashback structure really lent itself to showing you what these characters once were.
But it isnt a slasher thing, its much more supernatural in a way that Overlook Hotel inThe Shiningwas.
Would you consider this more monster horror or supernatural horror?
It was never just doctor show, cop show.
Same withOnce Upon a Time, we got to touch on every fairy tale and every world.
GOLDBERG:Theres an expectation people have when they hear summer camp and horror.
They instantly go toFriday the 13thorSleepaway Camp, people getting hacked up.
We didnt really want to play with those expectations and give people something different.
Could any of these be real-life forces, not just supernatural?
GOLDBERG:Well, there is a human element that you will see come into play.
HOROWITZ:There is a mixture of things going on.
Are you also pulling from some of the fun summer camp tropes like things we saw inMeatballs?
KITSIS:Were absolutely doing iconic camp moments.
As crazy as some of these places are, you want camp to be as inviting as Storybrook was.
Aside from both Elizabeths, any chance to see any otherOnceorLostalums coming on?
KITSIS:Charles Mesure plays the Sheriff, who played Black Beard.
Did we have anyLosties orOncers?
HOROWITZ:Theres a storytelling spirit that is shared in the basis with working on all those shows.
Again, this is our third show with Elizabeth Mitchell.
We wrote the role for her.
Its our second show with Elizabeth Lail.
We literally wrote the role for her.
Will the first season span the summer?
What is your plan for future seasons?
KITSIS:Yeah, so every year will be a new year.
So season one is 1989, season 2 could potentially be 1970.
You also see that the history of the lake goes back even further than that.
We would love, if successful, to jump around to different eras.
Dead of Summerpremieres Tuesday at 9 p.m.
