Eyes on the Middle East: Netflix announces another original Arabic series

Netflix is going strong in the Middle East and its original productions seem to be the talk of the region in 2019. 

The American company recently announced its third original Arabic series titled Paranormal with none other than Egyptian Amr Salama as director. Set in the 1960s, the series will be the first Netflix drama to be produced in Egypt. 

The series is based on the best-selling Arabic horror books by late Egyptian author Ahmed Khaled Tawfik. It will be a joint production by Salama and Mohammed Hefzy, an Egyptian producer whose roster of films includes Sheikh Jackson and Microphone.

The series follows Dr. Refaat Ismail, a hematologist who ends up battling "a series of supernatural events." The cast of the series has not yet been announced. 

"We are excited to continue our investment in Middle Eastern productions by adapting the highly acclaimed 'Paranormal' novels into a thrilling new series," Kelly Luegenbiehl, Netflix's VP of international originals, said in a statement, according to Variety. 

"We're also pleased to collaborate with prominent producer Mohamed Hefzy and director Amr Salama, whose creative vision we look forward to bringing to our global audience."

Through his work, Salama has tackled various cultural and societal issues that weren't previously addressed in Egyptian cinema. His films have been internationally recognized time and again for their originality. The young director's films include Excuse My French (2014), which tackles bullying in Egyptian schools, and Asmaa (2011), which follows the story of an Egyptian woman with HIV. The latter won more than 18 international, regional, and Egyptian awards.

"My childhood dream ... who is going to play the role of Dr. Ismail?" one Twitter user asked the streaming giant. 

Netflix's reply? "Stay tuned!" 

So, I guess we're all going to have to hold our popcorn while we wait for the details to roll out. 

Paranormal is Netflix's third Arabic original series, following the supernatural drama series Jinn and the all-female series titled Al Rawabi School for Girls. 

The former is Netflix's first original Arabic series, announced last year, and is set to officially launch on June 13. The thriller drama series is set in Amman and the ancient city of Petra, following high school students who are on a search for a vengeful jinn among them.

As for its second-ever original series, Al Rawabi School for Girls revolves around a bullied girl executing a plan to take revenge on her bullies, "only to find out that no one is all bad, and no one is all good, including herself."

All these mark Netflix's second work in the region, after Adel Karam: Live from Beirut stand-up comedy show, but are the streaming giant's first batch of original series.