One of last year’s biggest storytelling treats – across any medium – was Netflix’s serialised adaptation of The Haunting Of Hill House. The reimagined ghost story, directed in full by Mike Flanagan, was a smart and emotional remix of the original Shirley Jackson novel, depicting two generations of a family dealing with trauma. With dazzling filmmaking craft and brilliantly creepy twists (every episode is peppered with additional spectres, hanging out in the background of the sets), it was a huge hit – and now, Netflix is expanding its Haunting saga into an anthology.
A second season has just been announced – this time it’s The Haunting Of Bly Manor, based on Henry James’ novel The Turn Of The Screw. The original story was set in Essex, following a governess at a country mansion who becomes convinced that the building is haunted while caring for two children – themes which certainly resonate with the tale told in Hill House. The new series is set to arrive in 2020, and will see Flanagan return as creator alongside Trevor Macy as executive producer. It remains to be seen if he’ll step behind the camera this time.
In the meantime, Flanagan has another hugely-anticipated project on the way – he’s directed Doctor Sleep, based on Stephen King’s Shining sequel novel. That film, which stars Ewan McGregor as an older Danny Torrance, is now arriving in cinemas this year, after its release date was shifted forward from early 2020 to November 2019.
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