Named after the sensational serial fiction of the nineteenth century, "Dreadful" stars Josh Hartnett as an American actor visiting Victorian London who, the actor explains, "finds himself in the middle of an intriguing situation — and sticks around to see what happens."

The ensemble cast includes former James Bond stars Timothy Dalton, Eva Green and Rory Kinnear along with Billie Piper ("Doctor Who"), Harry Treadaway and Danny Sapani.

Although "Penny Dreadful" is definitely scary, Green told critics, "This is a very human show — it's just not scary for the sake of it."

Among the intrigue are some iconic literary monsters, including Frankenstein's creature, Dorian Gray and Dracula.

"Penny Dreadful" creator and writer John Logan (a three-time Oscar nominee who penned "Skyfall," "Hugo" and "The Aviator") said that his inspirations for the series are the monsters he "grew up loving" — and Romantic poetry.

"William Wordsworth led me to Mary Shelley and then I read 'Frankenstein' again. … It's a deeply disturbing, human book. … I literally cried reading about the pathos and suffering of that poor, misunderstood, monstrous creature."

Logan says he was affected so deeply because of his sense of isolation "growing up as a gay man, before it was as socially acceptable as it is now."

"I knew what it was to feel different, to feel alienated, to feel not like anybody else. But the very same thing that made me monstrous to some people also empowered me, and made me who I was."

Logan calls himself a "total monster geek," saying that as a kid, "I liked Frankenberry cereal, I built the monster models, I totally watched the 'Groovie Ghoulies.' I'm always tempted to say we're kind of doing "Scooby-Doo' but I resist that temptation. … It's in my DNA, the absolute affection (and respect) I have for the genre."

"Penny Dreadful" is set in 1891, but Logan insists "it's very much a modern show." 

"There's something about this genre that can be both enlightening or a little bit elucidating, because it has the great gift of being separate from what we're used to," Hartnett told TODAY. "It's an allegory and yet, at the same time, there's a wink to it. It can be a good laugh as well. I love that about it."

But frightening too. When TODAY asked whether "Penny Dreadful" will give the audience nightmares, Hartnett said with a laugh, "Hopefully!"

"Penny Dreadful" premieres Sunday, May 11 on Showtime.

Gearing up for the May 11 premiere, Showtime has released several character posters detailing the roles for the “Penny Dreadful” cast.

The show is said to feature some of literature’s most frightening and iconic figures as they grapple with alienation in Victorian London.

Timothy Dalton, Reeve Carney, Josh Hartnett, Harry Treadaway, Rory Kinnear, Billie Piper, and Eva Green star. Dalton will be playing African explorer “Sir Malcolm,” while Carney has snapped up Dorian Gray. Hartnett will play the role of “Ethan Chandler,” a charming American who finds himself trapped in the darkest corners of Victorian London. Green will play “Vanessa Ives,” a seductive and formidable beauty full of secrets and danger. Treadaway will be assembled as “Victor Frankenstein.”

Oscar-nominee Logan created and wrote the series with the first two episodes to be helmed by The Orphanage and The Impossible director Juan Antonio Bayona.

In order of photo appearance:

-Sir Malcolm is a hardened African explorer who has paid a heavy price for his exciting career and is on a deeply personal quest.

-Sembene serves as Sir Malcolm’s sentry and confidant, but he will prove capable of so much more.

-More Romantic poet than surgeon, Victor Frankenstein is a gentle soul fascinated with the mysteries of life and death.

-Brona is a poor Irish immigrant who suffers from consumption. Yet she remains lovely, spirited and erotically alive.

-The fabulously wealthy Dorian Gray has a devil-may-care attitude and is almost unnervingly beautiful.

-Ethan is a charming American sharpshooter on the run from a troubling past.

-Poised, mysterious and utterly composed, Vanessa Ives is a force to be reckoned with.