Posted in: Netflix, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: archive 81, netflix, preview, trailer

Archive 81 Canceled; Netflix Not Moving Forward on Season 2

Was Netflix's Mamoudou Athie & Dina Shihabi-starring Archive 81 another victim of the streamer's viewers-versus-costs analysis? Tough to say for sure, but whatever the reason Netflix is opting to not move forward on a second season of the horror drama (Deadline Hollywood first reported exclusively). Surprisingly, the decision comes even as the series has charted on Nielsen's rankings and Netflix's weekly Top 10 ratings for originals (briefly taking the top spot until the return of Ozark).

"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," shared series showrunner, writer & executive producer Rebecca Sonnenshine (The Boys, The Vampire Diaries) about the series ahead of its debut.

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.

Netflix's Archive 81 is executive produced by showrunner Sonnenshine, James Wan & Michael Clear of Atomic Monster (The "Conjuring" Universe film franchise, Malignant), Rebecca Thomas (Stranger Things, Limetown), Antoine Douaihy (Panic, The Good Cop), and Paul Harris Boardman (Deliver Us from Evil). Rob Hackett of Atomic Monster, Evan Bleiweiss, and Michael Narducci serve as co-executive producers, with Powell & Sollinger co-producing. Thomas (101- 102, 107-108), Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead (103-104), and Haifaa Al Mansour (105-106) direct' with Sonnenshine (101 -102, 107), Boardman (101), Narducci (103, 108), Bleiweiss (104, 108), Bobak Esfarjani (105), and Helen Leigh (106) writing.

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