Written for Kate: Kate Valdez to star in int'l live action fantasy series on Filipino supernaturals

MANILA, Philippines – Kate Valdez was the muse on paper and, in a rare feat, she will continue to be the face of "Dreamwalker" when it will premiere as a live action series in 2024. 

The "Unica Hija" actress will star in the eight-episode series that will be produced by London/Singapore-based international content investment studio 108 Media. 

The production features familiar names in the Philippine filmmaking scene. "Respeto" director Treb Monteras II will serve as showrunner/director while his colleague, "Deleter" and "Birdshot" director Mikhail Red will be the series director. Los Angeles-based writer Kaitlyn Fae Fajilan will serve as head writer. 

In an interview with Philstar.com, "Dreamwalker" author Michael "Mikey" Sutton said he will make the actress a comic book hero in 2018 and it seems he has kept his word.

"In 2018, I promised Kate that I would turn her into a comic book hero and a Hollywood star. Five years later, I fulfilled my promise. I'm a man of my word," he said. 

Sutton was recovering from a near-fatal stroke when he came across an episode of Kate's 2018 drama "Onanay." 

The Filipino-American author and editor-in-chief of pop culture site GeekosityMag.com said he was struck with Kate's timeless beauty and emotionally rich performance. 

With a muse and a story in mind, culled from his own experience of supernaturals growing up in his birthplace Angeles City in Pampanga, Sutton wrote his story with the help of visual artist Noel Layon Flores, whom he met through social media. 

It was Flores who connected him to Kate. Flores worked on several projects for GMA-7 shows including the 2016 reboot of "Encantadia," where he served as head set designer. Kate was among the main cast of the beloved TV fantasy show. 

Sutton said he did imagine "Dreamwalker" to be a streaming show. He was inspired, but was also realistic and thought it was not possible. But five years later, 108 Media took notice when he posted Flores' first art.

"I had an exciting feeling there was something in the air," he shared. 

During their initial talks, he kept mentioning Kate but felt that he did not have enough "leverage" to demand that they cast the actress as the series lead. 

His and Kate's dream came true when the producer said they were tapping the actress to star in the series as well. 

"I created her for and because of Kate Valdez. It's means everything to me if Kate has the lead role," Sutton said. 

"Dreamwalker" is a graphic novel about a monster-slaying vlogger named Kat who survives a bus crash and wakes up having the ability to enter people's dreams. The Filipino-American heroine finds herself gifted with the ability that she uses to wield against Filipino supernatural beings as she investigates the source of the monster wave in the Philippines while attempting to help those affected by the looming threat.

Apart from Monteras II and Sutton, series executive producers also include 108 Media executives, president Justin Deimen, creative producer Kirstie Contrevida and CEO Abhi Rastogi.

RELATED: Why Kate Valdez considers Unica Hija role a career feat