EXCLUSIVE: As Stranger Things prepares to launch its fifth and final season later this year, one of its stars is moving into the scripted podcast world.
Caleb McLaughlin, who plays Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix supernatural drama series, is starring in and exec producing Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi.
The series, which is produced by QCODE for Audible, is the story of an African-American family’s journey to Zimbabwe – but a trip meant to reunite and rekindle the bonds of a grieving family, turns deadly when the actions of a guilt-ridden teenager unleashes an ancient evil.
Created by Swan Song and Alex Rider actor Nyasha Hatendi, the supernatural thriller is set to launch on the Amazon-owned audio service on May 29.
The series, which will be available in Dolby Atmos, follows the Wallace family’s journey from Detroit to a luxury safari in Zimbabwe, Africa that descends into a terrifying nightmare. After unknowingly desecrating a sacred burial ground, 17-year-old Dashon Wallace (McLaughlin) and his family become targets of the Mbirwi, an ancient spirit summoned to protect the local community from the invasion of foreigners. As the shape-shifting Mbirwi hunts them down through an unforgiving landscape, family secrets and personal demons come to the surface, forcing all of the characters to confront their deepest fears.
It also features Kevin Carroll, Christina Elmore, Jessica Mikayla, Tongayi Chirisa, Charmaine Bingwa, Denise Khumalo, Sibongile Mlambo, Katherine McNamara and Nomsa L. Mlambo as well as musical artists Tapiwa Mutingwende and Tendai Maduwa.
It is the latest scripted podcast for Audible, which is behind George Orwell’s 1984, which features Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and Tom Hardy, The Big Fix: A Jack Bergin Mystery, which stars Jon Hamm, The Boar’s Nest, which stars Mandy Moore and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and The Safe Man with Jack Quaid and Titus Welliver.
“Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi is both a haunting thriller and thought-provoking cultural commentary, allowing listeners to viscerally experience the horrors and emotional struggles of these characters as the story unfolds,” said McLaughlin. “Dashon’s deeply personal journey explores themes of family and identity in a way I think will resonate with many people – all while taking them on an electrifying adventure.”
“I am thrilled to present Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi – a coming-of-age thriller rooted in Zimbabwean folklore about the relationship between Africa and the African American identity, and the meaning of love and family,” added Hatendi. “I am hugely excited for audiences around the world to experience this team of incredible artists, led by Caleb McLaughlin.”
Check out the trailer below.
