Matchbox Pictures’ House of Gods to debut on ABC and iView after delay

Iraqi and Australian actor and writer of House of Gods, Osamah Sami

The ABC in Australia will premiere its first commissioned Muslim culture-focused drama series, House of Gods, next month after delays to its launch.

The original series from Matchbox Pictures was co-created and co-written by Iranian born, Iraqi/Australian actor and writer, Osamah Sami, best known as co-writer and lead in the Netflix film Ali’s Wedding.

The six-part series is based around Sami’s childhood as the son of a head cleric and shares an intimate insight into life as part of an Imam’s family and the Australian Arab/Iraqi community he leads.

The series explores the personal cost of influence and ambition as the Imam, Sheikh Mohammad, and his family grapple with newfound power, politics and privilege.

The series will screen in Australia on the ABC and ABC’s streaming platform iView in late February after being scheduled for launch in the latter half of 2023.

Matchbox Pictures, MD Alastair McKinnon, described the show as a “thrilling tale of family, power and privilege set within a community rarely, if ever, seen on our screens. Osamah, Blake and the entire creative team have crafted something truly unique and compelling that will grip audiences to the very end.”

House of Gods was created by Sami and Shahin Shafaei and developed by Blake Ayshford. The series is written by Sami, Ayshford, Shafaei and Sarah Bassiuoni and attracted funding from Screen Australia in association with the ABC and was financed with support from Screen NSW. International sales are being handled by NBCUniversal Global Distribution.