James Wan is moving on towards his next project, which happens to be an upcoming supernatural series for Netflix titled Archive 81. As the streaming service continues to grow its horror lineup, Netflix is looking at talented directors in the genre, such as Wan, to curate new titles exclusively for the platform. There's a lot to look forward to for Archive 81 — here's everything we know about its release date, cast, and story details.
In November 2020, it was officially announced that Netflix would be losing its horror anthology, Slasher, to Shudder, who will produce Slasher season 4 with body horror icon David Cronenberg. When one series leaves, it's usually not long until a new one arrives, which happens to be Archive 81. Wan has long-since established his capabilities in horror, and is known for his impeccable work in the genre. He first made his mark in 2004 with the low-budget movie Saw, which expanded into an impressively sized franchise that includes eight installments to date with Saw 9 set to release in 2021. As his career has progressed, Wan has been integral in crafting some of horror's greatest 21st century movies and franchises, such as The Conjuring, Insidious, and Annabelle. However, he's also gained notability outside of the horror genre by directing blockbuster hits like Aquaman and Furious 7.
Wan has yet to delve fully into the realm of horror television and Archive 81 is the perfect chance for him to do it. As of this writing, he has several series in the works, one of which is based on I Know What You Did Last Summer. While fans may expect something similar to The Conjuring, Wan's Archive 81 is unlike any other project he has ever directed.
Archive 81 Release Date
Archive 81 has yet to receive a release date from Netflix. It is entirely plausible that it could premiere at some point next year, likely in the fall to avoid conflicting with The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It's release schedule, which was delayed due to COVID-19 and received an official date for June 4, 2021. It has been ordered for an eight-episode run, but the episode length is unknown as of this writing. This could dictate the time frame between production, filming, and editing. Regardless, the news of the series alongside its cast and storyline alludes to a release date that will come sooner rather than later.
Archive 81 Cast
Mamoudou Athie is set to star in the series. He is best known for his role as Rodrigo Nagenda in 2020's Lovecraftian aquatic horror movie Underwater. Dina Shihabi of Altered Carbon will star alongside Athie as the documentary filmmaker Melody Pendras who is set on investigating a cult. Athie will portray Dan Turner, an archivist who restores a bizarre collection of videotapes from 1994 in hopes of uncovering the truth behind their contents.
Archive 81 Story Details
Archive 81 is based on the podcast of the same name created by Marc Sollinger and Daniel Powell. They will serve as co-producers to ensure the supernatural horrors of their original stories are fully established in the most terrifying way possible. The series follows Dan Turner as he attempts to restore video tapes that include bizarre and unsettling imagery. After he discovers Melody Pendras' involvement with the creation of them, he becomes invested in saving her from the fate she met approximately twenty-five years prior.