Jinn: Netflix’s first Arabic series is a supernatural thriller

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

You may have heard that Netflix is planning to spend around $8 billion producing 700 original TV shows and movies over the next year, and those are some staggering numbers, but when the company is producing projects all over the globe, those numbers can add up quickly.

The streaming service's latest expansion is into the area of Arabic originals, and they have announced that their first Arabic series is a supernatural thriller titled Jinn.

A collaboration between director Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya, screenwriter Bassel Ghandour, and producers Elan and Rajeev Dassani (whose short film SEAM is pictured above), Jinn is 

a contemporary supernatural teenage drama focused on young Arab characters. A group of teenagers’ lives are disrupted when a Jinn in the form of a teenage boy appears to them in the ancient city of Petra. Their friendships and young romances are tested when they set out to stop an even greater darkness that is threatening to destroy the world. Can they come together in time, and find the answers needed, in order to save everything?

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 really excited about this. It is very common in 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 that 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."

More details on Jinn will be shared later in the year. The series will consist of six episodes and will be available for viewing on Netflix worldwide in 2019.