A&E orders Psycho prequel

US cable broadcaster A&E Network has ordered a full season of Bates Motel, a Psycho prequel from Lost’s Carlton Cuse.

The network has eschewed the pilot process and has ordered ten episodes of the Universal Television-produced series.

Bates Motel is a contemporary story centred around the formative years of Norman Bates and the relationship with his mother. The show will be executive produced by Cuse, who joined Damon Lindelof and J.J Abrams on Lost in its first season, and Friday Night Lights’ Kerry Ehrin.

“We are proud to be partnering with Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin on their thrilling reinvention of one of the most compelling characters in cinematic history. It’s a provocative project from two of the best storytellers in the business and we’re looking forward to getting started,” said Bob DeBitetto, president and general manager, A&E Network and Bio Channel and David McKillop, the network’s executive vice president of programming.

NBC Universal International Television Distribution will sell the show, which will launch in the US next year, internationally.