Realm, the industry-leading audio entertainment studio and one of the world’s fastest-growing independent podcast networks, today announced the release of Chinook, a gripping thriller starring Sanaa Lathan (Love & Basketball, Succession) and Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars, Raya and the Last Dragon). The first two episodes of the 12-episode scripted series premiere exclusively on Wondery+ Friday, March 29th, with the remaining episodes releasing twice weekly.
Produced by Doug Liman’s award-winning immersive entertainment studio, 30 Ninjas, the series follows Deputy Ruth Vogel (Tran), a cop in the small town of Chinook, Montana, whose discovery of a mangled corpse on a frozen highway embankment sends her sleepy town into a frenzy. Enter Agent Loro (Lathan), an enigmatic FBI investigator tracking a vicious conman and his evangelical cult, the Crossroads Tabernacle. Loro and Ruth form a cautious partnership to find the killer—but as the mystery unravels through Ruth’s life, her family, and her church, she discovers a complex web of deceit that threatens to shatter her community.
Chinook is a Realm Original produced by 30 Ninjas, written by Ashley Quach and directed by Ashley Quach and Kevin Rosen-Quan. Realm is renowned for producing fan-favorite podcasts, including the #1 Spotify podcast Harley Quinn & The Joker: Sound Mind starring Christina Ricci and Billy Magnussen, Echo Park starring Harry Shum Jr., and If I Go Missing the Witches Did It starring Gabourey Sidibe. 30 Ninjas’ award-winning immersive productions include Asset 15 starring Amandla Stenberg and Myhal’a Herrold, Don’t Look Deeper starring Don Cheadle and Helena Howard and Invisible VR directed by Doug Liman.
The series will be available exclusively on Wondery+. You can subscribe to Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Sanaa Lathan said, “I’ve been excited to bring Chinook to listeners since the very first moment I read the script. It’s a thrilling ride from start to finish and a joy to bring a character like Agent Loro to life. I cannot wait for audiences to immerse themselves in this captivating world.”
Kelly Marie Tran said, “I’m honored to lend my voice to a dynamic and complex character like Deputy Ruth Vogel. Ruth goes on a journey of intrigue and suspense throughout the series, and as a podcast fan myself, I’m excited for listeners to experience the masterful storytelling in Chinook alongside me.”
“It feels unreal to be on the cusp of seeing Chinook released to the world,” writer and director Ashley Quach added. “This began as a little story I wrote for myself one winter after I’d stayed up one too many nights reading about Jim Jones. Writing and directing this series took me deep into my own memories of religion and small-town scandal; the mortal terror a human can wield when they feel God is on their side. True crime aficionados know that a single murder is a domino fall of rash decisions, and I’ve left listeners a breadcrumb trail to follow through this strange little world, warmed by a cast of voices that will comfort and thrill them. If you burn through true crime podcasts and you keep a notebook when you watch mysteries, you’re going to love Chinook.”
Molly Barton, CEO of Realm, expressed her excitement about the collaboration, stating, “Chinook represents the pinnacle of immersive storytelling, blending top-tier talent with a gripping narrative that will keep listeners on the edge of their seats. We are proud to partner with Doug Liman’s 30 Ninjas and Wondery+ to bring this thriller to audiences worldwide.”
Julina Tatlock, Executive Producer, 30 Ninjas, said, “We’re thrilled with Chinook. We always look for creators like Ashley Quach and Kevin Rosen-Quan, who bring a unique and original voice to this gripping story. With talented actors like Sanaa and Kelly, we are sure audiences will be enthralled. The promise and possibility for a project like Chinook is just beginning.”
Jed Weintrob, Executive Producer, 30 Ninjas, added, “We are so excited to bring Chinook to audiences around the world. The engaging characters and twists throughout will have listeners on the edge of their seats waiting for more at every turn. Audiences will live in the world of Chinook with our leads and join in solving the mysteries of the town as the story unfolds. It’s the perfect podcast for true crime enthusiasts of all kinds!”
You can listen to Chinook ad-free on Wondery+ beginning March 29 with new episodes releasing every Tuesday and Friday. Subscribe to Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The series will be available everywhere you listen to podcasts starting Summer 2024, including Apple, Spotify and Amazon Music.
For more information about Chinook visit Wondery+.
Chinook stars Kelly Marie Tran and Sanaa Lathan. Written by Ashley Quach. Directed by Ashley Quach and Kevin Rosen-Quan. Executive produced by Julina Tatlock, Jed Weintrob, Doug Liman, Ashley Quach, Molly Barton, Marci Wiseman, Julian Yap, Kelly Marie Tran, and Sanaa Lathan. Produced by Marcelo Hanta-Davis, Veronika Nikolayeva, Kevin Rosen-Quan, Sara Ghaleb, Kailynn West, Diana Pho, and Hayley Wagreich. Associate Producer Michael Coulter, Production Manager Alexis Latshaw.
Additional voices by Patrick Fabian, Heather Matarazzo, Peyton Crim, Robert Catrini, Maxwell Caulfield, Brandon Tyler Harris, Jesse Abbott Chin, Melanie Haynes, Tom Antonnelis, Bruce Barker, Marilyn Busch, Ross Bryant, Todd Faulkner, Allison Moffett, Anthony Irizarry, Elizabeth D’onofrio, Gabriel Oliva, Holly C Adams, Ingrid Nelson, Jennifer Leigh Houston, Mary Murphy, Melissa Jobe, Mike Vaughn, Marcie Lynn Ross, and Nik Shriner.
Audio sound design and mix by Dave Eichhorn. Dolby Atmos Mix and additional sound design by Rory O’Shea. Original theme and score by Alex Redfern and Roger Neill. Additional editing by Nikos Spiridakis, Kaitlin Kelly, Alexandra Tandon, Matthew Barr and John S. Reese. Recorded at Real Voice LA by Nikki Weinberg and Mike DeLay. Audio Post-Production Services provided by Post in the Woods, Los Angeles. Casting by Sunday Boling Kennedy and Meg Morman. Executive in Charge for Realm: Mary Assadullahi.
Find more shows like Chinook by following Realm on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at Realm.fm
About Realm:
Led by Molly Barton and team members from CAA, Disney, Warner Brothers, Spotify, and NBC Universal, Realm is an industry-leading studio and global podcast network. Realm partners with top-tier talent and entertainment companies, including Blumhouse, Paramount, Warner Bros, DC, AMC Networks, Marvel, Spotify, and iHeart, to develop, produce, distribute, and monetize immersive audio series that deeply engage audiences.
Realm has brought more top-charting fiction shows to audiences than any competitor, with 8 shows hitting #1 on Apple Podcasts. Realm’s podcasts have been nominated for and won numerous awards, including Audies, Ambies, Webbys, Signal Awards, and iHeart Podcast Awards. Realm Originals have been translated into over a dozen languages, reaching listeners in over 195 countries. 8 Realm Originals are currently in development for Film/TV.
Notable titles include the #1 Spotify podcast HARLEY QUINN & THE JOKER: SOUND MIND starring Christina Ricci and Billy Magnussen, THE FLASH: ESCAPE THE MIDNIGHT CIRCUS starring Max Greenfield, and fan favorites OUTLIERS voiced by Rory Culkin, IF I GO MISSING THE WITCHES DID IT starring Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe; ORPHAN BLACK: THE NEXT CHAPTER and POWER TRIP starring Emmy-winner Tatiana Maslany; MARIGOLD BREACH starring Jameela Jamil and Manny Jacinto; and ECHO PARK starring Harry Shum Jr.
About 30 Ninjas:
30 Ninjas is an award-winning immersive story studio. Founded by feature film director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow, Mr. and Mrs. Smith), with partners Julina Tatlock and Jed Weintrob, 30 Ninjas pushes the boundaries of technology and the imagination to create groundbreaking immersive experiences.
Currently, the Ninjas are spearheading the creation of pioneering narratives for mobile AR, VR, MR and Spatial devices, maintaining their vanguard position in the rapidly evolving world of mixed reality production. With its headquarters nestled in New York, the 30 Ninjas team prides itself on nearly a decade of experience in AI, AR, VR and MR. The team’s driving ethos is to harness the power of these advanced technologies to forge deeper connections between people both online and IRL, bridging the gap between digital and physical interactions.
Discover more about the studio’s revolutionary work at 30ninjas.com.
About Wondery
Wondery is a podcast studio known for character-driven, binge-worthy stories including Dr. Death, British Scandal, Even the Rich, and Business Wars, and distribution of hit partner shows SmartLess, Morbid, and How I Built This and Wondery+ exclusive The Rise & Fall of Ruby Franke. Wondery was behind six of the “Top 25 New Shows of 2023”, according to Podtrac, including Ghost Story, Exposed, and Stolen Hearts. Over 55 shows from Wondery have hit No. 1 on Apple Podcasts, including Scamfluencers and Stolen Hearts. Many Wondery podcasts have been adapted for scripted television or streaming series, including Dr. Death and Joe vs Carole on Peacock, The Shrink Next Door and WeCrashed on Apple TV+, and upcoming Gladiator and Dying For Sex for FX. Wondery has gained critical acclaim and commercial success for its immersive approach to sonic, emotionally driven storytelling. The Wondery app offers a unique, personalized podcast listening experience, including access to its premium ad-free offering Wondery+. With Wondery+, fans enjoy early access and exclusive shows and episodes, in an ad-free listening experience. https://wondery.com/
