Just over a year ago, “The Haunting of Hill House” premiered on Netflix, giving us the chilling story of the Crain family and their twisted relationship with the show’s central, spooky dwelling. While the streaming service has only given us a vague 2020 launch window for its follow-up season, “The Haunting of Bly Manor” creator Mike Flanagan says it’s probably going to come around that same time next year, which would be pegged to Halloween again, of course.
“I don’t know the date but, you know, I left the set to come here,” Flanagan told TheWrap ahead of the Nov. 8 release of “Doctor Sleep,” which he directed. “It’s probably Halloween again, if I had to guess,” he added. “You’re going to like it. It’s cool!”
Production on “Bly Manor” began last month. Netflix did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for confirmation on an October 2020 premiere date.
While “The Haunting of Hill House” was an adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s 1959 gothic novel of the same name, when Netflix renewed the Flanagan-created series for Season 2 — and turned it into “The Haunting” anthology — in February. The streaming service revealed that the next chapter would launch in 2020 and be “a new story with all new characters,” titled “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” based on “The Turn of the Screw,” Henry James’ 1898 horror novella.
“Bly Manor” stars “Haunting of Hill House” alums Victoria Pedretti, Henry Thomas, Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Kate Siegel (the latter two castings exclusively reported by TheWrap). Other cast members include “Hill House” vet Catherine Parker and series newcomers Rahul Kohli (“iZombie”), T’Nia Miller (“Years and Years”) Amelia Eve, Benjamin Ainsworth and Amelie Smith.
Pedretti will play a governess named Dani “who takes care of two very unusual children” and that Jackson-Cohen has been cast as Peter, described as “a charming fellow.” Character details for Siegel, Thomas, Parker, Kohli, Miller and Eve’s roles on “Bly Manor” are being kept under wraps for now. But Flanagan says Ainsworth and Smith will be playing Miles and Flora, “critical” characters from “Turn of the Screw.”
“The Haunting of Hill House” premiered last October and centered around the Crain family: father Hugh (older version played by Timothy Hutton, younger version played by Thomas), mother Olivia (Carla Gugino), and their children, Steve (Michiel Huisman), Shirley (Elizabeth Reaser), Theo (Siegel), Luke (Jackson-Cohen) and Nellie (Pedretti).
The story follows the events that transpired during the one summer the Crains lived in the titular haunted home and their lives decades after leaving Hill House due to a tragic incident.
“The Haunting of Bly Manor” was created by Flanagan with Trevor Macy executive producing. Macy and Flanagan — who signed an overall deal with Netflix in February — will produce through their Intrepid Pictures banner, with Paramount TV and Amblin TV also producing.
Flanagan’s film adaptation of Stephen King’s famous book “Doctor Sleep” stars Ewan McGregor as Danny Torrance and is set 40 years after the events of “The Shining.” Danny, plagued by the memories of the Overlook hotel and his own alcohol abuse issues, meets Abra (Kyliegh Curran), who has the same gift he does. At the same time, a cult called The True Knot, led by Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) is looking for new children to kidnap. Flanagan directed the movie and also wrote the screenplay.
“Doctor Sleep” hits theaters Nov. 8.