Netflix has announced a spin-off series titled Arrivals: A New Manifest Mystery, three years after the original show concluded. The announcement was made on X (formerly Twitter) on August 28, or 8/28, in honour of the inaugural Flight 828, a significant date for the fandom.
The post shared a shot of the script for episode one and confirmed that Jeff Rake, Laura Putney, and Margaret Easley, the creatives behind the original Manifest, are working on the upcoming show.
Fan Reactions to the Announcement
Fans quickly shared their reactions underneath the post. One person wrote: “Knowing Jeff Rake, Laura Putney, and Margaret Easley are writing this gives me so much confidence. Time to buckle up for more 'calling' riddles!”
Another commented: “Expanding the Manifest universe with the original creative team returning?! ARRIVALS is going to trigger a whole new wave of mystery and wild fan theories.” A third said: “Thank you Netflix! Happy 828 day!” Yet another added: “Wondering if we'll get cameos from the original cast or a completely new group dealing with a parallel timeline. Can't wait for the trailer.”
Plot of the Spin-Off
Arrivals: A New Manifest Mystery will follow a social worker and a Homeland Security agent trying to figure out the identities of a group of people whose aeroplane has crash-landed in Denver. The passengers of the mysterious flight don’t remember who they are or where they’ve come from.
An apocalyptic event threatens everything and is linked to the crash. The two must solve the puzzle in time to save the world.
Creator's Announcement and Background
Rake also shared his own X post of the first page of the script, captioned: “HERE WE GO! Thanks for keeping the faith. #ArrivalsNetflix.”
Rake first conceived Manifest in 2008 while travelling back from a family holiday in the Grand Canyon in a minivan. He told Netflix’s Tudum: “I didn’t have a job, and I needed an idea, and this sounds so terrible, but I literally spent the ride home thinking, ‘What’s the worst thing that could happen to a family on vacation?’”
The show was cancelled by its original broadcaster, NBC, after three seasons. Rake and others shopped the show around to find another network or streamer. Netflix saved the show with a season four order of 20 episodes, aired in two blocks. Season four was the last, wrapping up a show originally conceived as six seasons.
All four seasons of Manifest have amassed over 130 million views since early 2023. These numbers are expected to rise following the news of the spin-off as more viewers discover the show.
