Netflix is set to release ”Elixir”, an Indonesian zombie horror film that shows promising Southeast Asian storytelling for global audiences.
Malobika Banerji, Director of Content for Southeast Asia at Netflix, announced the film at the APAC Film Showcase in Tokyo just this April. Known by its Indonesian title Abadi Nan Jaya (meaning “Forever Glorious”), Elixir tells a story of a dysfunctional family running a herbal medicine business on a Javanese island. Hoping for a breakthrough product with health benefits, the family instead created a plague-like virus that could spell disaster for the community.
Helmed by Indonesian director Kimo Stamboel, the film proudly presents local methods of storytelling embedded in the local horror genre, but adapted for a global audience. Elixir stars Marthino Lio, Kiki Narndra, Eva Celia Latjuba, Donna Damara, Mikha Tambayong, Varren Arianda Calief, and Dimas Anggara.
“Our local zombie stories feel authentic, immersive, and uniquely ours,” Banerji stated in an interview. Elixir is Netflix’s latest venture into Southeast Asian horror following the success of Hunger (2023) from Thailand, The Shadow Strays (2024) from Indonesia, and Outside (2024) from the Philippines, as the streaming giant sets out to produce a wide array of rich stories from the tapestry of the region.
Catch Elixir on Netflix this 2025.