Spook time! Regional horror book series 'Mr Midnight' set for Netflix debut

The beloved horror fiction series 'Mr Midnight' adaptation by Netflix, starring Malaysian actor Idan Aedan, is slated for an Oct 24 premiere. Photo: Instagram/mrmidnightseries

In the spirit of spooky Halloween season, the countdown begins to Mr Midnight: Beware The Monsters, which will premiere on Netflix on Oct 24.

This new 13-episode series is an adaptation of the popular Singapore children’s horror fiction book series written by Australian writer James Aitchison (under the pen name James Lee), who was based in Singapore for almost four decades.

The books were first published in 1998 by Angsana Books, Flame Of The Forest Publishing. This ongoing series, which has 120 books, has been translated into several languages, including Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Burmese.

Fans of the books can expect a similar spine-tingling treatment in the TV series, which promises apparitions, dark closets, witches and all things that go bump in the night.

The ongoing 'Mr Midnight' series, which has 120 books, has been translated into several languages, including Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese. Photo: Handout

The cast of Mr Midnight: Beware The Monster includes Malaysian actor Idan Aedan (Pulang, Zombitopia and Luar Biasa) as Tyar, with Singapore actress Chen Yixin and Australian actors Caleb Monk and Nikki Dekker.

They play a group of teenagers who become supernatural detectives. United in their quest to solve a series of strange occurrences in Tanah Merah town, they have to deal with perilous situations, the unraveling of a family secret and their personal demons.

Filming took place in Singapore and Batam in Indonesia, over a five-month period during the pandemic.