❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more).

Game of Thrones favourite confirmed for new horror investigation TV series based on hit podcast

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau leads MGM+'s eight-episode adaptation of the cult podcast The Black Tapes.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau on the red carpet, standing in front of a yellow backdrop and smiling. He wears a brown jacket and black shirt.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Published: Monday, 26 October 2026 at 4:31 pm

Subscribe to Radio Times: 10 weeks for £10, including the Christmas double issue

MGM+ has ordered a television adaptation of cult horror podcast The Black Tapes, with Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau leading the cast as sceptical psychiatrist Dr Richard Strand.

Ad

The streaming service has now confirmed the eight-episode supernatural horror investigation series, with production due to kick off in Vancouver in January 2027.

Coster-Waldau – the acclaimed Danish actor best known as Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones – takes on the role of Strand, described as "a brilliant psychiatrist with a mysterious past".

Strand will team up with "relentless scientist" Alex Regan and as per the synopsis, the pair team up to "debunk paranormal cases of hauntings, possessions, disappearances and sinister legends: the infamous black tapes. As they unravel the secrets behind these events, they uncover a hidden occult world and a centuries-old apocalyptic conspiracy."

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones. HBO

At this stage Coster-Waldau is the only confirmed cast member, and MGM+ has not yet named the actor who will play Regan or announced any further casting so we'll have to watch this space.

The series adapts the hit horror podcast created by Terry Miles and Paul Bae, which premiered in May 2015 and built up a devoted fanbase with its realistic, investigative format. By October 2026 it had amassed more than 60 million downloads.

Presented as a documentary-style scripted drama, the original podcast followed journalist Alex Reagan, who set out to profile unusual professions before meeting Strand, a sceptical investigator determined to debunk the supernatural. Reagan discovered the black tapes, the cases Strand had been unable to explain or disprove, and the case-of-the-week investigations gradually drew her into Strand's own past, including the disappearance of his wife Coralee, and a wider hidden occult threat.

The format proved more than popular, with the podcast running for three seasons between 2015 and 2017 but eventually ending on a divisive cliffhanger rather than a fully resolved conclusion.

Fans of the original podcast will be pleased to know that Miles and Bae both serve as writers and executive producers on the television version.

Read more:

On the announcement of the commission of the TV series, Michael Wright, global head of MGM+, said: "The Black Tapes crafts a compelling story around our cultural fascination with the unexplained, while delivering the cinematic, classic storytelling that MGM+ audiences expect. With Nikolaj's compelling presence and the creative vision of John Rogers, Kearie Peak and our talented production team, we're excited to make something that is both provocative and hugely entertaining."

The casting continues a busy run for Coster-Waldau, who played Jaime Lannister across all eight seasons of Game of Thrones from 2011 to 2019, a performance that earned him an Emmy nomination and made him one of the fantasy drama's most recognisable faces. More recently he starred in the Apple TV series The Last Thing He Told Me and the BBC historical drama King and Conqueror. He will next appear opposite Jennifer Lopez in the Netflix film The Last Mrs Parrish.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

The Black Tapes is coming soon to MGM+.

Add The Black Tapes to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Ad

Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more TV recommendations and reviews listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Morgan Cormack, smiling against a lime green background

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.

Ad

Ad

Get the Christmas double issue

Too much to watch at Christmas? Let Radio Times do the choosing to find something the whole family will enjoy.

Subscribe by 3 Dec

Loading...

Ad

Loading...