What Is 'The Mandela Catalogue'? Why Everyone Is Freaking Out Over Spielberg's Next Project
Kane Parsons’ Backrooms (2026) proved that the internet Creepypasta craze, when handled well, can absolutely work on the big screen and deliver cerebral scares and a disquieting tone. But as all trends do, it’s only become the start, and it’s recently been announced that Alex Kister’s YouTube series, The Mandela Catalogue (2021), is officially getting a movie.
The Mandela Catalogue is the pride and joy of analog horror and tells a story that’s both wildly creative and utterly terrifying. But the one thing that has fans so excited about this film isn’t that it’s happening, but that Amazon MGM Studios, Amblin, Steven Spielberg, and United Artists’ Scott Stuber are attached to produce.
What Is ‘The Mandela Catalogue’?
Analog horror is often considered a horror genre where the story is explored through a VHS tape. Complete with a time stamp and film grain, it’s managed to deliver a dated feel to a video. Regarding The Mandela Catalogue, this was exactly what the web series needed to sell its strange premise.
The Mandela Catalogue is a series of videos that explore the goings-on of Mandela County after being invaded by strange demonic shapeshifters known as Alternates. Early on, we are given the lore of these Alternates and the logic behind their invasion through collected videos and pictures from people’s homes. We also get various PSAs about how the Alternates interact with children and what to do if you encounter one.
As the story progresses, things continue to escape and get weirder, but what has made The Mandela Catalogue so great is its ability ot tap into that feeling of “is this real, or not?” Kister manages to develop a world that feels lived-in without following conventional story structures, and even if the Alternates are just stock photos, they’re utterly petrifying.
Steven Spielberg Producing ‘The Mandela Catalogue’ Has Fans Talking
After Backrooms, it was no shock that producers would be scouring various media outlets to try and find the next great analog horror series to bring to the big screen. With so many choices, it’s not a shock that The Mandela Catalogue stood out. With Spielberg’s backing, it’s also gotten fans talking about the movie not in a completely positive light.
Following Spielberg’s Disclosure Day (2026), there’s been hesitancy about whether or not Spielberg has truly captured lightning in a bottle with The Mandela Catalogue. But more than that, audiences are more concerned with the lessons learned from Backrooms’ success. One commenter on a Reddit thread stated: “Don’t love that the lesson from Backrooms was apparently ‘scour YouTube for popular internet horror’ instead of ‘give young filmmakers more opportunities.’”
Meanwhile, others have mentioned that they’d prefer someone to pick up another horror series called Gemini Home Entertainment. But the one comment that stood out was: “And so the parade of Backrooms copycats begins.” A simple statement, but one that feels accurate with the announcement of V/H/S: SCP, based on the beloved SCP Foundation project. For all the good that could come with big names like Spielberg bringing analog horror to the masses, there’s also concern over the wrong lessons being learned.
How To Watch ‘The Mandela’ Catalogue’ (For Free)
The Mandela Catalogue is a great web series that is 100% free on Alex Kister’s YouTube page. But clicking play on the 19-video playlist is only the start of what you can uncover while watching. One of the things that’s unique about the series is that it lives in mystery. Each video has its comments turned off except for one, and the reasons behind it are still unknown.
Beyond that, when watching the films, the muffled voices often make people turn on their subtitles. But in doing so, it also shows hidden texts, often scripture, that give you more context to the world of The Mandela Catalogue. Of course, there are also three commentary videos for a deeper look into the twisted world. In short, the series is built on mystery and making you feel uncomfortable, and it never holds back.
These elements may be hard to capture in a movie format, but not impossible. But to understand what’s coming, watching The Mandela Catalogue on YouTube is the best way to get acquainted with the lore.
