Yaga Showrunner Kat Sandler Talks Baba Yaga Being the ‘OG Bad Girl of Fairytales’
Yaga is a television adaptation of a play by showrunner Kat Sandler, drawing from the traditional Slavic folktale of Baba Yaga. At San Diego Comic-Con, Sandler discussed the adaptation with cast members Clark Backo and Noah Reid, exploring the creative process of translating theatrical work to screen.
Sandler emphasized how the transition from stage to film enables more sophisticated visual storytelling. The cinematic medium allows for strategic use of camera work and visual Easter eggs to direct audience attention, building mystery and tension with greater precision than a single-perspective stage production. Through focused cinematography and detailed visual elements, filmmakers can layer complexity into the narrative in ways theater cannot match.
The series reimagines Baba Yaga as a complex protagonist, with Sandler positioning the folklore figure as “the OG Bad Girl of Fairytales,” suggesting a nuanced character-driven adaptation rather than a traditional villain narrative.