O3 Productions, the production arm of MBC, the largest private media company in the Middle East & North Africa region, and Image Nation Abu Dhabi have announced a new strategic partnership for film and television production.
The first project under the partnership is the adaptation of author Ibraheem Abbas' best-selling sci-fi novel HWJN into an Arabic-language feature film which will be co-produced and co-financed by both companies.
03 and Image Nation are also partnering on a television spin-off of the feature The Delusionists, as well as two further television series, details of which will be announced in due course.
HWJN is a pop culture phenomenon in Saudi Arabia and across the Arab World, having topped bestseller lists across the Gulf by selling over 140,000 copies.
There have also been over one million illegal downloads, further demonstrating the book that has captured the imagination of the Arab youth across the region.
HWJN tells the story of the friendly, devout Jinn, HWJN, and his friendship with a human Saudi female medical student called Sawsan. As their connection deepens, breaking the barriers and dimensions between the human and Jinn worlds, the scene is set for an epic showdown with the evil Jinn ruler Sanam.
Said Ibraheem Abbas, author of HWJN, said: "Four years ago our first novel HWJN was rejected by publishing houses because fantasy and science fiction were alien to Arab audiences. We created our own publishing house and exceeded expectations – the Arab public, especially young people, were eager for fantasy and science fiction and our four novels topped the bestseller lists in the region".
cnewbould@thenational.ae