Just in time for the upcoming holidays, Netflix has released the trailer for Elves, which is decidedly not about Santa’s cheery helpers. The six-episode Scandinavian horror series is about “a Christmas vacation [that] turns into a nightmare for a teenager and her family when they discover an ancient menace that stalks their island getaway.”
The trailer sets the tone pretty quick, which features some classic horror tropes. Family hits a mysterious creature with their car that the parents assure is probably nothing? Check. Creepy old woman who seems to know all the island’s secrets? Check. Giant, menacing Jurrasic Park-style enclosure in the middle of the forest on a Scandinavian island? Why not!
The series, which translates to Nisser in Danish, is from the same creators of the post-apocalyptic series The Rain, which also streams on Netflix. Although not much is currently known about the series beyond the trailer, it’s interesting that ‘nisse’ is a mythological creature from Nordic folklore that is traditionally described as being short, sporting a white beard, and wearing a conical or knit cap, with an appearance somewhat similar to that of a garden gnome.
Though the creatures in Elves appear to have pointy heads, sans a conical cap, that seems to be about where the comparisons end.
Elves premieres on Netflix on Nov. 28.