The FX network has placed a pilot order for Guillermo del Toro’s ‘The Strain’. FX ordered 13 episodes of the vampire thriller that follows Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (played by Corey Stoll) and his team at New York City’s Centers for Disease Control. Together the crew who must deal with a viral outbreak resembling an ancient and evil strain of vampirism. While trying to contain the spread of the strain, New Yorker will panic amid the chaos. The series has been described by FX’s Eric Schrier as an “epic story with stunning visuals and remarkable acting.”

Joining Stoll is Frida’s Mia Maestro, The Hobbit’s Sean Astin, X-Men’s Kevin Durand, Natalie Brown of Sophie, Titanic’s Jonathan Hyde, Inglorious Basterds’ Richard Sammel, Robert Maillet of Sherlock Holmes, Jack Kesy of Morgan, Marley and Me’s Ben Hyland, and Miguel Gomez of The Domino Effect. Executive producers del Toro and Hogan co-wrote the script with del Toro also set to direct. ‘The Strain’ is based on del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s vampire novel trilogy of the same name. Production is scheduled to begin at the end of this month in Toronto. The series will debut in July and is expected to run anywhere from 39-65 episodes.