Netflix just announced its first Arabic original series, and it’s a young adult fantasy adventure! The six-episode series will comes from Lebanese director Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya (Very Big Shot) and Jordanian screenwriter Bassel Ghandour (Oscar-nominated Theeb), and Elan and Rajeev Dassani (SEAM) will serve as executive producers. Netflix says the series “will feature Middle Eastern talent,” and it will film in Jordan later this year.
Described as “a contemporary supernatural teenage drama,” Jinn will focus on a group of teenagers whose 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?”
Meanwhile, the series summary on Netflix more specifically seems to suggest a female protagonist: “When a girl accidentally releases a jinn in the form of a teenage boy, they learn that they’ve also unleashed an ancient darkness that threatens the world.” Fingers crossed!
“It is very common in Middle East that people know someone who has a Jinn story,” said screenwriter Ghandour, “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.”
Director Chaaya agreed: “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.”
Jinn is scheduled to hit Netflix in 2019.
(via Netflix; image: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
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