Netflix Gets More Indie With Brit Marling/Zal Batmanglij Original TV Series

READ MORE: Brit Marling Talks ‘The East,’ ‘Sound of My Voice’ and Delivering on the Hype

The independent world continues to discover the power of television as “indie darlings” Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij will be bringing their eight-episode hour-long series “The OA” to Netflix. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the acquisition comes after a multi-network bidding war. 

Brit Marling is no TV virgin — she just recently appeared on the British import “Babylon” — but she and Batmanglij will be bringing their unique collaboration style (established by their past two features, “The Sound of My Voice” and “The East”) to a serialized format. 

The premise of “The OA” is under wraps. Indiewire’s own Ben Travers probably has his fingers crossed for an homage to “The OC,” [Editor’s Note: Please!] but it’s equally likely to be about an Overeaters Anonymous group or the planet where all the Green Lanterns live. (In all seriousness, if their first two films are anything to go on, it’ll probably have something to do with a cult or cult-like organization and someone infiltrating it.) 

The move is in line with an enduring Netflix pattern when it comes to its original content: Strong creators behind the scenes. Netflix broke out huge with its original series thanks to not only loading up on star power on screen, but bringing in creators with unique voices and established track records behind the camera. Marling and Batmanglij represent just that. 

READ MORE: Review: Danny Boyle’s ‘Babylon’ is Startlingly Relevant, Rounded and…Funny?