Nikolaj Coster-Waldau to Lead ‘The Black Tapes’ For MGM+
The popular mid-2010s horror podcast is getting the prestige TV treatment.
Say what you will about MGM+ — and, trust, we’ve said plenty — the little streamer that far too few people know about has some great shows. From the critically acclaimed Rogue Heroes and the Hell’s Kitchen-set gang drama The Westies to the best Robin Hood adaptation attempted in recent memory, there’s plenty of worthwhile content here. If... only people watched it. (Sigh.)
The newest series set to join their ranks is The Black Tapes, an eight-episode adaptation of the popular science fiction podcast of the same name. Created by Terry Miles and Paul Bae, the series was an early breakout hit in the horror podcast space when it premiered back in 2015. (See also: Limetown and The Magnus Archives)
Formatted like an investigative journalism documentary, it ran for three seasons before ending on a... let’s just call it a highly controversial note. The story follows Alex Reagan, a journalist who sets out to profile the infamous Dr. Richard Strand, a famous paranormal skeptic who runs the Strand Institute, a nonprofit that offers a million-dollar cash prize to anyone who can scientifically prove the supernatural exists. Strand and Alex ultimately team up to try and debunk some of his extensive collection of what he calls “black tapes”: unsolved, unexplainable case files involving everything from hauntings and witchcraft to possession and strange disappearances.
Here’s the series synopsis.
When a brilliant, disillusioned former scientist is hired by a secretive debunker of the paranormal, she’s pulled into a chilling world of unsolved cases— “The Black Tapes”—that may not be hoaxes after all. Each case brings them closer to uncovering a centuries-old conspiracy that could destroy everything.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (King & Conqueror) has been cast to play Strand, alongside Sophie Bacon (Scarpetta) as Alex. More casting is expected in due course as the series gets closer to filming.
“The Black Tapes crafts a compelling story around our cultural fascination with the unexplained, while delivering the cinematic, classic storytelling that MGM+ audiences expect,” Michael Wright, global head of MGM+, said in a statement. “With Nikolaj’s compelling presence and the creative vision of John Rogers, Kearie Peak and our talented production team, we’re excited to make something that is both provocative and hugely entertaining.”
Miles and Bae both executive produce, alongside Kearie Peake for Peak Pictures, and John Rogers and Jennifer Court for Kung Fu Monkey Productions.
The Black Tapes is set to begin production in Vancouver in 2027. It is expected to debut on MGM+ in either late 2027 or early 2028.
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