Game of Thrones star leads MGM+ horror series The Black Tapes

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, the actor who played Jaime Lannister on Game of Thrones, has been cast as the lead in MGM+'s upcoming supernatural drama The Black Tapes. The streaming service has greenlit an eight-episode adaptation of the popular horror podcast, which will begin filming in January 2027.

The series will stream on MGM+ in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and across Latin America. It is produced by MGM+ Studios, Peak Pictures, and Kung Fu Monkey Production.

Production details

Filming on the eight-episode adaptation will begin in January 2027 in Vancouver, Canada. The series is expected to premiere by October 2027 or 2028 at the latest.

Creative team

Terry Miles and Paul Bae, the writer-creators of the original podcast, will serve as writers and executive producers for the television show. They are joined by showrunner John Rogers, who is also an executive producer. Rogers stated he was an early and passionate fan of the podcast, describing it as a unique blend of unsettling horror and puzzle-box conspiracy mystery.

Additional executive producers include Kearie Peak and Jennifer Court.

Cast and character

Coster-Waldau will play Dr. Richard Strand, a brilliant psychiatrist with an enigmatic past. His character partners with a relentless scientist named Alex Regan to investigate paranormal cases. The duo initially team up to debunk phenomena like hauntings and possessions but uncover a hidden occult world tied to a centuries-old apocalyptic conspiracy.

MGM+ global head Michael Wright praised the project and Coster-Waldau’s involvement, noting the actor's compelling presence on screen.

Series scope and source material

The show will explore paranormal cases including hauntings, possessions, disappearances, and sinister legends. It is based on the hit horror podcast The Black Tapes, which debuted in 2015 and has accumulated more than 60 million downloads. The podcast featured a voice cast including Miles, Lori Henry, and Christian Sloan.

The series will join other horror shows on the MGM+ platform such as From, The Institute, and Chapelwaite. Coster-Waldau's recent credits include films and shows like The Silencing, Against the Ice, The Last Thing He Told Me, King & Conqueror, and a stage production of Macbeth.

Production on The Black Tapes is scheduled to commence in Vancouver this coming January.