WATCH: Hop down a new rabbit hole: Netflix unveils official Archive 81 trailer
By Mads Lennon
With less than two weeks until the premiere of Netflix’s highly-anticipated supernatural thriller Archive 81, the streamer has dropped the official Archive 81 trailer. It’s time to jump down a new rabbit hole, because Archive 81 is the addictive new mystery series you’ve been waiting for, and it premieres on January 14.
The series, which is loosely inspired by the popular podcast of the same name, comes from showrunner, executive producer and writer Rebecca Sonnenshine. Her previous credits include writing for The Boys, The Vampire Diaries and more.
About Archive 81, Sonnenshine says:
"I’m obsessed with mystery box shows, the kind that lead us down a rabbit hole into a strange, dark world. Archive 81 is a character-driven, deeply emotional story about the nature of art, faith, and the search for identity—all wrapped up in a frayed blanket of existential dread. The show also gave this film geek the chance to unearth all sorts of forgotten media formats as found footage, which results in a unique, visually-textured story that is both beautiful and terrifying."
Fans of Fringe, The Shining, Suspiria, The X-Files and Twin Peaks will gobble up the thriller when all eight episodes hit Netflix on Jan. 14. Eagle-eyed fans are also likely to notice several fun easter eggs throughout the show’s first season, including references to Rosemary’s Baby and Solaris.
James Wan and Michael Clear of Atomic Monster (The Conjuring Universe film franchise and Malignant), Rebecca Thomas (Stranger Things, Limetown), Antoine Douaihy (Panic, The Good Cop) and Paul Harris Boardman (Deliver Us from Evil) are also producing.
What is Archive 81 about?
Archive 81 follows archivist Dan Turner (Mamoudou Athie), who takes a job restoring a collection of damaged videotapes from 1994. Reconstructing the work of a documentary filmmaker named Melody Pendras (Dina Shihabi), he is drawn into her investigation of a dangerous cult at the Visser apartment building.
As the season unfolds across these two timelines, Dan slowly finds himself obsessed with uncovering what happened to Melody. When the two characters form a mysterious connection, Dan becomes convinced he can save her from the terrifying end she met 25 years ago.
Apart from Shihabi and Athie, the series also stars Martin Donovan, Matt McGorry, Julia Chan, Evan Jonigkeit and Ariana Neal.
Archive 81 trailer
Watch the official trailer below and make sure to add Archive 81 to your Netflix watchlist!
21 horror movies and shows coming to Netflix in January. dark. Next
The entire first season of Archive 81 starts streaming exclusively on Netflix beginning Friday, January 14.