Netflix reveals release date for Archive 81 and more

Cults, mysterious videotapes and dual timelines: three of my favorite things and all plot points featured in the upcoming Netflix horror series Archive 81. Earlier today, Netflix released several key release dates for upcoming genre series like Vikings: Valhalla, Archive 81 and In From the Cold.

Archive 81 is especially exciting because the plot description makes this new show sound like a V/H/S film or one of Netflix’s other scary shows such as Stranger Things. The new series is an original story idea loosely based on the podcast of the same name.

In addition to the original Archive 81 found footage horror podcast, the show draws from seminal horror and paranoia thrillers such as The Shining, Suspiria and Rosemary’s Baby with easter eggs sprinkled throughout the show. Cult television shows like Fringe, The X-Files and Twin Peaks also serve as inspiration.

Archivist Dan Turner (Mamoudou Athie) starts piecing together old videotapes created by documentary filmmaker Melody Pendras (Dina Shihabi) in 1994. Melody was investigating the mysterious cult at the Visser apartment building when something terrible happened to her.

As Dan becomes increasingly obsessed with unraveling the mystery of her disappearance through the tapes, we watch both timelines unfold. Dan ultimately starts believing he might be able to save Melody from what happened to her 25 years ago.

Apart from Athie and Shihabi, the series also stars Martin Donovan (Virgil Davenport), Matt McGorry (Mark Higgins), Julia Chan (Annabelle Cho), Evan Jonigkeit (Samuel) and Ariana Neal (Jess).

Archive 81 release date

The upcoming series, which is executive produced by James Wan and Michael Clear of Atomic Monster, Rebecca Thomas, Antoine Douaihy and Paul Harris Boardman, is slated to release the entire first season on Friday, January 14, 2022.

Archive 81 episode count

Eight, hour-long episodes comprise the first season.

More genre fare is coming to Netflix in 2022

Netflix also announced release dates for several other significant genre shows releasing in 2022:

• In From the Cold: January 28, 2022
• Raising Dion season 2: February 1, 2022.
• Vikings: Valhalla: February 25, 2022

More genre fare confirmed for a 2022 release:

• Alice in Borderland season 2
• All of Us Are Dead
• Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas
• The Cuphead Show!
• Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
• First Kill
• Locke & Key season 3
• Magic: The Gathering
• The Midnight Club
• Resident Evil
• The Sandman
• Stranger Things season 4
• The Umbrella Academy season 3
• The Witcher: Blood Origin