Indonesia’s first IMAX movie, Satan’s Slaves: Communion, sequel to director Joko Anwar’s 2017 horror hit, adds depth to his ‘cinematic universe’

Following the success of 2017’s Satan’s Slaves, director Joko Anwar is back with a sequel that expands on the first movie as part of a ‘much bigger storyline’

It is the first Indonesian film to be filmed using IMAX technology, something Joko hopes will spur more investment in IMAX screens in the country

Reading Time:4 minutes

A still from Satan’s Slaves: Communion. Joko Anwar is back with a sequel to his 2017 hit Satan’s Slaves, to expands on his ‘cinematic universe’ as part of a much bigger storyline.

Published: 11:15am, 3 Aug 2022

Standing tall and stiff in her white mourning dress, the late pop singer Mawarni “Ibu” Suwono in 2017’s Indonesian horror hit Satan’s Slaves is once again ready to come back from the grave to curse and delight horror fans all over the world.

The much anticipated Satan’s Slaves: Communion (Pengabdi Setan 2: Communion), directed by Joko Anwar, opens in Indonesian cinemas on August 4 and is the first local film to be shot using IMAX technology.

“We’re happy to offer this movie in IMAX in the hope it gives the audience a more immersive ride, and inspires companies to invest in more such screens across the country,” Joko says in an interview with the Post.

Like the first film, it has been produced by Rapi Films, which has been making exploitation films in Indonesia since 1968.

The sequel will be a confirmation that it isn’t just about a family being terrorised by a supernatural force. There’s a more sinister plot going on

Joko Anwar, director

Satan’s Slaves: Communion continues and expands on the story of Joko’s 2017 film, which is a loose remake of a 1980 Indonesian cult horror film, also called Satan’s Slave, by Sisworo Gautama Putra.

It was an atrocious B-movie for the average spectator, but also one of the world’s first horror films with an Islamic setting.