Netflix Orders ‘The OA’ Drama Series From Brit Marling, Zal Batmanglij of ‘Sound of My Voice’
Netflix — dipping into the indie film-world well again — has acquired “The OA,” an hour-long drama series from thesp-scribe-producer Brit Marling and director-writer-producer Zal Batmanglij, who previously worked together on indie pic “Sound of My Voice” and spy drama “The East.”
Marling (pictured above) stars in the series, and she and Batmanglij will co-write the script in their first TV project. The eight-episodes series will premiere exclusively on Netflix worldwide in 2016. What “The OA” is about is a mystery for now — Netflix did not provide any info on the series — but chances are good it will be edgy.
Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner of Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment (producers of “12 Years a Slave”) and Michael Sugar of Anonymous Content (“True Detective,” “The Knick”) are executive producers of the series, along with Marling and Batmanglij.
“We are thrilled to be the home of the first television series Brit and Zal create together,” said Cindy Holland, VP of original content at Netflix. “Whether in front of or behind the camera, or both, their creative voice is always uniquely captivating.”
The deal for “The OA” comes after a slew of Netflix action on the acquisition front, both on episodic series and films. Among other pacts, at Sundance this year the company signed a deal with indie filmmakers and thesps Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass to produce four movies, which will have a brief theatrical release of unspecified length before becoming available exclusively on Netflix.
Marling and Batmanglij’s “Sound of My Voice,” about two documentary filmmakers who infiltrate a mysterious cult only to find themselves drawn into the leader’s grip, premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and was subsequently released by Fox Searchlight. They went on to make “The East,” which was released in 2013 by Fox Searchlight.
Marling has starred in films including “Arbitrage” and “I, Origins,” and stars in the upcoming “The Keeping Room,” a Civil War drama helmed Daniel Barber. She is repped by CAA and managed by Anonymous Content.
Related stories
TV Review: 'House of Cards,' the Complete Third Season (SPOILERS)
Netflix Inks Global Deal with FremantleMedia for Supernatural Thriller 'The Returned'
Netflix Exec Says It Didn't Actually Want FCC to Regulate Broadband So Heavily
Get more from Variety and Variety411: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
