Horror fans have something to look forward to this fall: HBO Max will stream Strange: Junji Ito's Tales for Sleepless Nights internationally, bringing the legendary manga artist's twisted storytelling to a live-action format.

The omnibus series adapts 13 stories from Junji Ito's catalog, including classics like "Lovesickness," "The Mansion of Phantom Pain," "The Rib Woman," and "Tomio: Red Turtleneck." The show already premiered in Japan on TV Tokyo's "Drama 24" programming block on July 3, with a broadcast TV Tokyo airing scheduled for July 12.

Global Stage Hollywood and TV Tokyo screened the first two episodes at Anime Expo, giving North American fans an early look. The series features an ensemble cast including Yōko Maki, Kanata Hosoda, and Nijirō Murakami, with directors Atsuhiro Yamada, Yūta Shimotsu, and Ryōta Kondō helming different episodes. Scripts come from Daisuke Hosaka (known for Sadako 3D 2) and Tatsurō Inamoto, who's worked on Trigun Stampede and Pluto.

The title references the original name of Asahi Shimbun's Nemuki+ magazine, where many of Ito's stories originally appeared. Most of the adapted tales have been translated into English through various releases, making them accessible to international audiences familiar with Ito's work.

The series taps into global talent for its soundtrack as well, with South Korean group IVE performing the opening theme "Jigsaw," and 10CM providing additional music.

Junji Ito's work has seen increased international adaptation in recent years, with his unique brand of unsettling horror translating well across different media. This live-action approach offers a fresh take on stories that have already been adapted into anime, giving fans new ways to experience his nightmarish imagination. The international HBO Max release marks another step in bringing Ito's catalog to wider audiences outside Japan.