Culture 4 min read By Lauren Baxter
Barunson E&A Boards International Sales for Joko Anwar's 'Satan's Slaves: Origin'
The Korean studio behind 'Parasite' will launch the Indonesian horror prequel to international buyers at the Toronto Film Festival market, billing it as the franchise's most ambitious production.
Barunson E&A, the Korean studio behind Bong Joon Ho's Oscar-winning film «Parasite», has boarded worldwide sales on «Satan's Slaves: Origin», the latest installment in Indonesian filmmaker Joko Anwar's blockbuster horror franchise. The company will launch the project to international buyers at the Toronto Film Festival's inaugural market, positioning the prequel as one of the most ambitious genre productions to emerge from the region.
The film, known in its original Indonesian title as «Pengabdi Setan 3: Origin», continues the story that began with Anwar's 2017 reboot of the classic 1980 Indonesian horror film «Satan's Slaves». That movie became a major commercial success in Southeast Asia and was followed by «Satan's Slaves: Communion» in 2022, which expanded the franchise's international footprint. The new prequel is expected to explore the origins of the terrifying events that set the earlier films in motion.
Anwar, who has become one of Indonesia's most prominent filmmakers on the global stage, wrote and directed the previous entries in the series. His work has been praised for blending traditional Indonesian folklore and cultural anxieties with contemporary horror filmmaking techniques. The franchise's success has helped raise the profile of Indonesian genre cinema internationally, and the involvement of Barunson E&A signals further ambitions for the property beyond its home market.
Barunson E&A's decision to handle worldwide sales marks a significant step for the production. The company, which played a key role in the international success of «Parasite», brings established relationships with distributors and buyers across major territories. Its participation is likely to increase the film's visibility at a time when Asian horror continues to attract strong interest from global audiences and streaming platforms.
The Toronto Film Festival market, where the project will be presented, has become an important venue for international film sales. The festival's inaugural market component provides a platform for producers and sales agents to connect with buyers from around the world. For Indonesian cinema, a strong showing there could open doors to wider theatrical and streaming releases in North America and Europe.
Details about the plot and casting for «Satan's Slaves: Origin» remain limited, but the film is expected to maintain the atmospheric dread and family-centered terror that defined its predecessors. The franchise has been noted for its careful attention to sound design and its use of religious and cultural motifs, elements that have resonated with horror audiences across different markets.
The announcement adds to a busy period for Anwar, who continues to work on multiple projects in Indonesia while gaining recognition abroad. His ability to move between commercial genre filmmaking and more personal projects has made him a key figure in the country's film industry, and the international backing for his latest horror entry reflects the growing global appetite for Southeast Asian storytelling.
