Barunson E&A, the Korean production and sales company known for handling Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite,” has taken on worldwide distribution rights for “Satan’s Slaves: Origin,” the upcoming entry in director Joko Anwar’s Indonesian horror franchise. The film will be presented to international buyers at the Toronto Film Festival’s inaugural market this September.
Positioned as a prequel to the existing “Satan’s Slaves” films, “Satan’s Slaves: Origin” explores the origins of the curse and demonic pact central to the franchise’s mythology. The narrative spans multiple centuries and continents, beginning with a documented outbreak of mass hysteria in 16th-century Strasbourg in 1518, then transitioning to a haunted lighthouse on Java’s southern coast during the 17th century. The production is characterized by its scope, incorporating filming locations across two continents and dialogue in seven languages including Indonesian, Alsatian, Portuguese, Javanese, Dutch, Turkish, and Latin.
Rapi Films is producing the project, with Anwar serving as writer and director alongside co-producers Come and See Pictures, Sky Media, and Legacy Pictures. The film is currently in pre-production with a targeted theatrical release in Indonesia in 2027. Anwar described the project as the culmination of his work on the franchise, stating it will provide answers to long-standing questions for existing audiences while offering new viewers an ambitious narrative experience.
The deal represents a continuation of an existing partnership between Anwar and Barunson E&A. The companies recently collaborated on “Ghost in the Cell,” a horror-comedy that premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and has achieved significant commercial success, including over 3.3 million admissions in Indonesia and distribution across 150 territories.
The “Satan’s Slaves” franchise holds considerable significance within Indonesian cinema. The original 1980 film by Rapi Films remains a local classic, Anwar’s 2017 revival topped Indonesia’s annual box office and catalyzed the country’s current horror resurgence, and 2022’s “Satan’s Slaves: Communion” made history as the first Indonesian film released in Imax format while ranking among the nation’s highest-grossing releases.
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