Psycho prequel: Norman Bates the kid Remember the chilling ending of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, as Norman Bates sits in his cell, speaking through his Mother's voice . . . "he was always bad"? Well, now we will be able find out more about what turned Norman, memorably played by Anthony Perkins in the 1960s classic film, into a crazed killer. Hitchcock's film has spawned two sequels, a remake and a television movie spin-off - and it's about to made into an American television prequel called Bates Motel. A&E's new 10-part series is in script development and the the TV company said: "Bates Motel will give viewers an intimate understanding of how Norman Bates" psyche developed from his childhood through his teen years. Fans will have access to the dark, twisted backstory and learn first hand how his mother, Norma, and her lover damaged Norman, helping forge the most well-known serial killing motel owner in history. It's not the first attempt at a Psycho prequel, though. Mick Garris directed a TV movie called Psycho IV: The Beginning in 1990 and there was even an attempt at a television series, also called Bates Motel, in 1987, although that featured a new demented murderer who had inherited the Bates family business. A&E are confident they have the right team to make it work and have dispensed with a pilot episode. The script will be written by Anthony Cipriano, a former writer for the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon who made his film debut with Twelve and Holding, and there will be two heavyweight executive producers in Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Kerry Ehrin (Friday Night Lights). The series is expected to air in 2013, when we find out the history of Norman Bates - and maybe even why he was so keen on taxidermy. His hobby is stuffing things, you know.