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The Fall of the House of Usher is Mike Flanagan's latest horror drama series from the House of Netflix. Flanagan directed the series alongside Michael Fimognari while working on the screenplay, adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's 1839 short story of the same name and some of his other works.
The limited series is set to release on Netflix on October 12, 2023 with eight episodes. However, the first two episodes will premiere at the 2023 Fantastic Fest on September 22, 2023.
The Fall of the House of Usher features an ensemble cast in pivotal roles, including Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Willa Fitzgerald, Mary McDonnell, Kate Siegel, Mark Hamill, Michael Trucco, Rahul Kohli, and others.
The official synopsis for Mike Flanagan's final series as part of his seven-year deal with Netflix reads as follows:
"...ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege, and power. But past secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman from their youth."
If you love Mike Flanagan's work or enjoy getting goosebumps from a spine-chilling horror story, then The Fall of the House of Usher is perfect. But while you wait for the title to release on Netflix next month, we have curated the perfect list of Flanagan's other works to keep you company until then.
Midnight Mass, Oculus, and five other titles from Mike Flanagan to add to your watchlist
1) Midnight Mass
Midnight Mass is a supernatural horror drama limited series from the House of Netflix. The series is created and directed by Mike Flanagan, with the writing credits going to several well-known writers like Jamie Flanagan, Dani Parker, Elan Gale, and Jeff Howard alongside Mike Flanagan himself.
The series starred Kate Siegel, Hamish Linklater, Zach Gilford, Kristin Lehman, Samantha Sloyan, Igby Rigney, Rahul Kohli, Annabeth Gish, Alexandra Essoe, Michael Trucco and others in pivotal roles. The series was released on Netflix in September 2021 and received widely positive feedback from critics and fans alike.
The official synopsis for the series, as provided on Netflix, reads as follows:
"The arrival of a charismatic young priest brings glorious miracles, ominous mysteries and renewed religious fervor to a dying town desperate to believe."
2) The Haunting series
The Haunting is a supernatural horror anthology series from the House of Netflix. It is the brainchild of Mike Flanagan, with the concept for each series inspired by other literary works. The first part was released in 2018 as The Haunting of Hill House, inspired by Shirley Jackson's 1959 novel.. The second part, The Haunting of Bly Manor, was based on Henry James' The Turn of the Screw and released on Netflix in 2020.
The series featured a similar central cast starring Henry Thomas, Victoria Pedretti, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kate Siegel, and Catherin Parker. However, they played different characters in the series. Although both the titles in the anthology received positive reviews from critics and viewers, the first one was more popular than the latter.
3) Oculus
Oculus is a supernatural psychological horror film from the House of Relativity Media. The film is directed and edited by Mike Flanagan with a screenplay that he co-wrote with Jeff Howard, basing it on his very own 2006 short film, Oculus: Chapter 3 - The Man with the Plan. The film premiered at the 2013 TIFF before being released in theaters worldwide in 2014.
The film starred Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Katee Sackhoff, Rory Cochrane, Annalise Basso, Garrett Ryan, Miguel Sandoval, James Lafferty and others in pivotal roles. The film was a commercial and critical success, receiving praise for Mike Flanagan's direction.
The official synopsis for the film from Relativity Media reads as follows:
"Ten years ago, tragedy struck the Russell family, leaving the lives of teenage siblings Tim and Kaylie forever changed when Tim was convicted of the brutal murder of their parents. Now in his 20s, Tim is newly released from protective custody and only wants to move on with his life; but Kaylie, still haunted by that fateful night, is convinced her parents' deaths were caused by something else altogether: a malevolent supernatural force unleashed through the Lasser Glass, an antique mirror in their childhood home."
"...Determined to prove Tim's innocence, Kaylie tracks down the mirror, only to learn similar deaths have befallen previous owners over the past century. With the mysterious entity now back in their hands, Tim and Kaylie soon find their hold on reality shattered by terrifying hallucinations, and realize, too late, that their childhood nightmare is beginning again..."
4) The Midnight Club
The Midnight Club is a horror mystery thriller series from the House of Netflix, released in 2022. The show was created by Mike Flanagan and Leah Fong, with Flanagan in the director's chair. The series is a visual adaptation of Christopher Pike's 1994 novel of the same name, along with snippets from several other works.
The series stars Iman Benson, Igby Rigney, Ruth Rodd, Annarah Cymone, William Chris Sumpter, Adia, Aya Furukawa, Sauriyan Sapkota, Samantha Sloyan, and others in pivotal roles.
The official synopsis for the series on Netflix reads as follows:
"Inside a hospice for terminally ill teens, members of an exclusive club make a chilling pact: The first to die must send a sign from beyond the grave."
5) Doctor Sleep
Doctor Sleep is a supernatural horror drama from the House of Warner Bros. Pictures. Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, the film was released in 2019 as a sequel to Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror classic, The Shining. It was also based on Stephen King's 2013 novel of the same name.
The film starred Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Cliff Curtis, Zahn McClarnon, Emily Lyn Lind, and others in pivotal roles. Mike Flanagan's screenplay and direction, alongside the performance by the cast, received praise from critics worldwide.
The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
""Doctor Sleep" is the continuation of Danny Torrance’s story 40 years after the terrifying events of Stephen King’s The Shining. Still irrevocably scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook, Dan Torrance has fought to find some semblance of peace. But that peace is shattered when he encounters Abra, a courageous teenager with her own powerful extrasensory gift, known as the “shine.”"
...Instinctively recognizing that Dan shares her power, Abra has sought him out, desperate for his help against the merciless Rose the Hat and her followers, The True Knot, who feed off the shine of innocents in their quest for immortality. Forming an unlikely alliance, Dan and Abra engage in a brutal life-or-death battle with Rose. Abra’s innocence and fearless embrace of her shine compel Dan to call upon his own powers as never before—at once facing his fears and reawakening the ghosts of the past."
6) Gerald's Game
Gerald's Game is a psychological horror thriller film from the House of Netflix. Mike Flanagan directed and edited the film with a screenplay that he co-wrote with Jeff Howard, based on Stephen King's 1992 novel. The film premiered at the 2017 BFI Southbank Film Festival before releasing on Netflix a few days later.
The film starred Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Carel Struycken, Henry Thomas, and Kate Siegel in pivotal roles. It was a hit among the critics, with Mike Flanagan's screenplay and direction along with the performance by the cast, receiving widespread praise.
The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"When her husband's sex game goes wrong, Jessie - - handcuffed to a bed in a remote lake house - - faces warped visions, dark secrets and a dire choice."
7) Hush
Hush is a slasher horror film from the House of Netflix. Mike Flanagan directed and edited the film with a screenplay he co-wrote with Kate Siegel. The film premiered at the 2016 South by Southwest Film Festival before releasing on Netflix a month later.
The film starred John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan, and Emma Graves alongside Kate Siegel, who co-wrote the film, in pivotal roles. The film received praise from critics as a great modern slasher title. It was also the birthplace of Mike Flanagan's 2021 series, Midnight Mass, which was shown to be a novel written by Siegel's character in the movie.
The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"A deaf writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears in her window."
These have been some of Mike Flanagan's best works throughout the years. With The Fall of the House of Usher still a few weeks away, these titles are the perfect choice to get acquainted with the work of one of the most popular horror filmmakers.
