Netflix has announced the production of “Arrivals: A New Manifest Mystery,” a sci-fi series set in the universe of “Manifest.”
The announcement came on Aug. 28, a date with significance to “Manifest” fans. In the series, passengers on Montego Air Flight 828 from Jamaica to New York experience severe turbulence, and when they land discover that five-and-a-half years have passed, during which time they were declared lost.
The original series ran for three seasons on NBC from 2018 to 2021, before being picked up by Netflix for a final season that was presented in two parts in 2022 and 2023. Since the beginning of 2023, all four seasons have amassed more than 130 million views on Netflix.
“Arrivals” reunites the creative team behind “Manifest,” with original creator and showrunner Jeff Rake returning alongside former co-executive producers Margaret Easley and Laura Putney, who now step into the role of co-creators and co-showrunners.
“When the idea for ‘Manifest’ first crash-landed in my head, I never imagined where it would lead,” Rake said. “What started as a wild concept became something much bigger — a story that connected with millions of people around the globe. And thanks to Netflix, we were able to finish the journey and give those fans the ending they deserved. But the world of ‘Manifest’ has more stories to tell. To now bring fans a brand-new mystery from that world is quite simply beyond my wildest dreams.”
Rake also praised Putney and Easley for their creative efforts.
“Their contribution to the ‘Manifest’ mothership cannot be overstated,” Rake said. “It was a no-brainer to make them my partners on this spinoff. Together we’ve set out to create something bold, surprising, deeply human, and full of the kind of big ideas that spark conversations long after the credits roll. We can’t wait for a whole new audience — and longtime ‘Manifest’ fans — to discover ‘Arrivals.’”
In the new series, when a mysterious plane crash-lands in Denver, the passengers emerge with no memory of who they are, where they came from, or why they’re here. A young social worker and a novice Homeland Security agent team up with the new arrivals in an attempt to stop a humanity-ending catastrophe, discovering along the way that they are all part of the very puzzle they’re trying to solve.
“We are thrilled to expand the ‘Manifest’ universe with ‘Arrivals,’ led by the original creative team of Jeff Rake, Margaret Easley, and Laura Putney,” said Jinny Howe, Netflix head of scripted series for the U.S. and Canada. “Their return ensures the creative continuity essential to this franchise, allowing us to honor what made the original a phenomenon while introducing a fresh perspective for fans worldwide.”
“Arrivals” is produced by Warner Bros. Television. Executive producers include Robert Zemeckis and Jack Rapke of Compari Entertainment; Len Goldstein of Tall Baby Productions and its overall deal with WBTV, and Jacqueline Levine.
