Netflix brings in supernatural thriller as first Arabic original

Netflix will bring in a new Arabic original series named Jinn, a teen supernatural thriller set to debut worldwide in 2019.

The series will feature Middle Eastern talent and begin filming in Jordan later this year.

Within the series a group of teenagers’ lives are disrupted when a Jinn (a form of ghost or angel) in the form of a teenage boy appears to them in the ancient city of Petra.

Jinn will be executive produced by Elan and Rajeev Dassani (SEAM) and directed by Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya who hails from Lebanon. Jordanian screenwriter Bassel Ghandour will also work on the six-episode series.

Bou Chaaya said: “This is a great opportunity to portray Arab youth in a very unique way. The level of authenticity Netflix is trying to achieve with this show is definitely what attracted me the most to be part of this project.”

Ghandour added: “We are very excited about this. It is very common in the Middle East that people know someone who has a Jinn story, so it’s nice to take that and turn it into a fun and mysterious teen adventure everyone can enjoy.

“On a broader note, I love that Netflix is investing a lot in the region, it’s a real turning point. We have such a rich storytelling culture, and we’ll finally be able to enjoy Arabic content with Netflix quality.”

Jinn is Netflix’s second project in the region. It’s first project, a Lebanese stand-up comedy Adel Karam: Live from Beirut, is due to launch on March 1st.