Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher looks like a horror-tinged Succession, and I’m all in
What may be Mike Flanagan’s final Netflix series looks tremendously terrifying
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If you’ve ever wondered what a horror-tinged version of Max’s hugely succession TV showSuccessionwould look like, Netflix has got you covered.
The world’sbest streaming servicehas finally debuted a trailer forThe Fall of the House of Usher, the finalNetflixseries from horror supremo Mike Flanagan. And, based on the show’s first official teaser, which you can watch below, it’s taken everything we loved aboutSuccession– aka one of thebest Max showsever made – and drenched it in eldritch-style spookiness and violence.
It’s easy to see whyThe Fall of the House of Usherhas immediately drawn comparisons withSuccession. Flanagan’s latest TV project is laced with potent family drama, sibling rivalries, and all manner of characters we know we’re going to love to hate. The only difference is that, unlike the four-season-longMaxTV show,The Fall of the House of Usherwill systematically kill off characters as its eight-episode run plays out. In short: don’t get attached to any of its morally complex individuals.
Like Flanagan’s previous Netflix shows, which includeThe Haunting of Hill HouseandThe Haunting of Bly Manor,The Fall of the House of Ushertakes its cues from a beloved piece of literature. The gothic horror miniseries is loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe’s 1839 short story of the same name, which itself is believed to take cues from real-life events in 1830s Boston.
Netflix’s TV adaptation, though, won’t be a beat-for-beat retread of Poe’s classic tale. Instead, it’ll tell the story of a corrupt pharmaceutical company’s CEO, who is forced to confront his questionable past when his family is targeted by an unknown demonic entity that starts brutally murdering his children.
They’re dying to meet you. From creator Mike Flanagan, The Fall of the House of Usher arrives in time for spooky season on October 12. pic.twitter.com/bDg2LXySiTSeptember 5, 2023
Many of Flanagan’s favorite actors are set to star inThe Fall of the House of Usher. Carla Gugino and Kate Seigel, both of whom played key roles in bothThe Haunting of Hill HouseandThe Haunting of Bly Manor, are set to prominently feature, while Rahul Kohli, who has starred in three of Flanagan’s four Netflix productions –Bly Manor,Midnight Mass,andThe Midnight Club– is also on board. Bruce Greenwood, T’Nia Miller, Samantha Sloyan, Michael Trucco, and Henry Thomas, who have featured in one or more of Flanagan’s shows, are part of the cast, too.
As for those who are appearing in their first Flanagan-led series, Mary McDonnell (Battlestar Galactica,Independence Day), Carl Lumbly (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), and legendaryStar Warsactor Mark Hamill play supporting roles.
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Flanagan acts as showrunner and, alongside Michael Fimognari, co-director on the show. The duo are joined by Trevor Macy, Emmy Grinwis, and Melinda Nishioka on the series' executive team.
As mentioned,The Fall of the House of Ushercould well be Flanagan’s final exclusive Netflix project. Intrepid Pictures, the production company founded by Macy that Flanagan now co-runs, inked a first-look TV deal withPrime Videoin December 2022, meaning Flanagan’s five-year partnership with Netflix will end onceThe Fall of the House of Usherhas finished airing.
Speaking of which,The Fall of the House of Usherwill officially launch on Netflix on Thursday, October 12. All eight episodes will be available to stream on that date, too. Here’s hoping it’ll be terrifying enough to join three of Flanagan’s previous works on ourbest Netflix showslist post-release.
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As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
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