Celebrated actor and writer Ahmed Amin will star in Netflix’s upcoming supernatural TV show Paranormal. It will be set in 1960s Egypt and has both Emirati and Egyptian filmmakers.
Netflix this year has had a much-appreciated entry into the world of Arab film. In June of this year, Netflix released its first Arabic language show named Jinn. Where Jinn follows a modern ghost story set in Jordan, Paranormal follows a similar genre within Egypt.
Paranormal is said to be a show focusing on battling supernatural forces and solving mysteries. The lead role for this new Egypt-based show is now confirmed to be Ahmed Amin, who is Egyptian himself.
The 39-year old will play Dr Refaat Esmail, a single man in the medical field. The character is said to be based on the author of the books the show takes inspiration from and Amin’s character is described as a retired doctor who leads a full life, which is full of paranormal experiences.
Late Ahmed Khaled Tawfik was a celebrated author, notably selling over 15 million copies of his Metaphysics (translated to English) book, a paranormal horror/thriller novel. In his lifetime he wrote more than 200 paperbacks and is hailed as one of the first contemporaries of horror and sci-fi. According to The National, he was one of the first people to explore the niche genre of medical thriller.
Amin is a comedian, actor and writer, gaining popularity on a series of viral comedy videos on Egypt’s Facebook. He also had his own Egyptian skit-show named Al Plateau. He is joined by Emirati director Majid Al Ansari and Egyptian filmmaker Amr Salama.
“Amin brings a level of authenticity and a powerful on-screen presence that we felt was the ultimate fit for the portrayal of Dr Refaat Esmail. With such a strong local cast paired with striking special effects, we can’t wait to get production underway next month,” said showrunner Salama.
Other details on Paranormal remain scarce, though we can expect a full cast announcement in the near future as well as a release date.
