What's new
Netflix is launching a new Filipino folk horror series titled Balaraw: Blood Island, scheduled to premiere on October 29, 2026. The eight-episode first season is directed by Rae Red and produced by EpicMedia. In Turkey, the streaming platform is releasing the show under the localized title Hançer Adası, which translates to Dagger Island.
About the series
The show reunites director Rae Red with lead actress Janine Gutierrez, who previously teamed up on the award-winning feature Babae at Baril. Gutierrez stars as Sabina Tejeros, a woman who has spent years searching for her missing mother. After pursuing a new clue to an uncharted island, Sabina encounters mysterious secrets from her family's past alongside supernatural entities drawn from Philippine mythology.
The primary cast for the series includes:
- Janine Gutierrez as Sabina Tejeros
- Agot Isidro as Rebecca, Sabina's missing mother
- Charlie Dizon as Bulak Bernabe
- Romnick Sarmenta
- Ronnie Lazaro
- Nonie Buencamino
- Teroy Guzman
- Archi Adamos
What to expect
The title refers to a balaraw, a double-edged, pre-colonial Filipino dagger that historically served as a status symbol among warriors and nobles. Early promotional footage shows Sabina traveling by boat to the island, where an argument between a passenger and the boat captain becomes physical. Teasers also feature strange local inhabitants, mysterious phone calls, and cave drawings, alongside a warning that visitors can leave the island but cannot escape it.
The series arrives during Halloween week and Undas in the Philippines, aligning its plot with a time when families gather to remember their deceased relatives. Exact global air times for specific time zones are not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
Source: netflix new series release - BingNews · Published October 29, 2026 · Photo by Dawid Tkocz on Unsplash
