Will there be a third season to Mike Flanagan's The Haunting anthology? Possibilities explored

The Haunting season 3 is unlikely to happen anytime soon, despite the series’ popularity. The anthology began with The Haunting of Hill House, which premiered in 2018 and impressed fans with its dark twists. Based on Shirley Jackson’s novel of the same name, the supernatural horror drama centers around five siblings with a dark past.

This was followed by The Haunting of Bly Manor in 2020. Inspired by the works of Henry James, the gothic romance drama examined the unnerving events that transpire when a young helper agrees to look after a wealthy man’s niece and nephew.

The anthology was created by Mike Flanagan, best known for his work on the horror dramas Oculus and Hush. He also served as an executive producer on the series with Meredith Averill, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, and Trevor Macy.

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Why isn’t The Haunting season 3 happening?

Flanagan collaborated with Netflix for The Haunting anthology and added another feather to his cap. The first two installments received a positive response, leaving fans eager to know if The Haunting season 3 was in the works.

However, Flanagan parted ways with Netflix in 2023, which cast a shadow on the show’s future. He later confirmed in a Tumblr post that he wasn’t interested in taking the franchise forward.

He wrote,

"I’m much happier focusing on other things… and being that I’m no longer at Netflix, that ship has definitively sailed. There will not be a season 3."

Mike Flanagan and Macy then signed a TV production deal with Amazon under Intrepid Pictures. They are likely to develop shows based on The Dark Tower and The Life of Chuck for the Netflix competitor. However, this isn’t set in stone.

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What was the potential plot of The Haunting season 3?

In November 2023, Flanagan revealed the third season would have been based on Richard Matheson’s 1971 novel Hell House.

The book follows four characters as they enter a haunted house to investigate the possibility of life after death.

The novel’s synopsis reads:

"Dr. Barrett has been hired by a wealthy, dying man to investigate one of the most haunted houses known to man: Hell House. Along with his wife and two professional mediums, Dr. Barrett packs up his scientific gear and embarks to the long-abandoned house to settle the question once and for all: Do ghosts actually exist?"

Interestingly, contrary to perception, Flanagan’s shows are usually not based on a single story or novel, as they also feature references to other works.

For instance, The Fall of the House of Usher is not a direct adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s novel of the same name. It also draws inspiration from the writer’s earlier works, such as The Raven to Berenice and The Black Cat. Given this, Hell House would also have incorporated elements from Matheson’s other novels.

Meanwhile, The Haunting anthology is available to stream on Netflix. Its subscription costs between $6.99 to $22.9 a month, depending on the plan. The standard package with ads costs $6.99, while the ad-free version costs $15.99. Users can also opt for the premium version, which costs $22.9, depending on their budget.

Additionally, viewers might want to purchase the show on Amazon Prime Video and Vudu if they don't have access to Netflix.