Mike Flanagan's The Fall Of The House Of Usher Release Date, Cast, Trailer, Plot And More Details
Mike Flanagan quickly became a beloved name for horror fans after his enthralling and empathetic adaptation of Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House" on Netflix. In fact, Flanagan has made some of his very best work with the streamer, including movies like "Gerald's Game" and series such as "Midnight Mass" and "The Midnight Club." And while Flanagan will soon be taking his talents to Amazon, he's got one last offering to entertain and terrify Netflix audiences.
Similar to what he did for Shirley Jackson and Henry James (with "The Haunting of Bly Manor"), Flanagan will be adapting another iconic creepy writer by taking on Edgar Allan Poe. Flanagan will mainly be pulling from the author's horrific tale "The Fall of the House of Usher," but according to reporting from Bloody Digest, he'll also be taking inspiration from other Poe stories as well. The new series will undoubtedly be another spooky addition to Flanagan's impressive roster of scares, but what exactly do we know about the new series? Well, steady your nerves, dear readers, as we explore everything you need to know about "The Fall of the House of Usher."
When will The Fall of the House of Usher be released?
October 2023 is going to be a great month for horror fans. After September sets the mood with creepy titles like "The Nun II" and "A Haunting in Venice," audiences will be able to visit theaters and see what thrills "Totally Killer," "The Exorcist: Believer," and "Five Nights at Freddy's" have to offer. However, if you're wanting to stay in the comfort of your home and enjoy the Halloween season from your couch, Netflix has got you covered. "The Fall of the House of Usher" will hit the streamer on October 12, 2023, and it will run for eight episodes. Sounds like the perfect binge watch to celebrate all things scary.
What is the plot of Mike Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher?
Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" follows the tragedy of two twins — Roderick and Madeline, the last remaining members of the Usher family. Neither are exactly the healthiest people on the planet, as Madeline often succumbs to deathlike trances of disassociation and Roderick believes his mansion is actually sentient. As the gothic story progresses, we witness a mysterious crack dividing the house in two, hear eerie noises throughout the mansion, and discover a corpse that might possess a terrible secret.
So how much of this will play out in the Mike Flanagan's miniseries? Well, according to the official plot synopsis, the Netflix show will focus on the "ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher." These two "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."
Clearly, Flanagan's miniseries is less a straight-up adaptation than a wickedly clever reimagining, with the showrunner borrowing other elements from Poe's oeuvre. For example, "Fortunato Pharmaceuticals" is a reference to the doomed victim of the same name from "The Cask of Amontillado." The official poster for the series also shows an eerie woman donning a mask that resembles a certain black bird — yep, that would be the avian star of Poe's most famous work, "The Raven." We're both excited and horrified to watch all these Edgar Allan elements come into play, especially since star Carla Gugino told Tudum that the show is "bats*** crazy in the best possible way. It has quite a lot of very dark humor but also really touches the soul."
Who is starring in Mike Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher?
When it comes to on-screen talent, Mike Flanagan has a stable of actors he loves working with again and again, and we can expect to see many of them in "The Fall of the House of Usher." For example, acting veteran Bruce Greenwood is returning from "Gerald's Game" to play the part of Roderick Usher. (He's filling in for Frank Langella, who was terminated from the series after an investigation into misconduct claims.) Carla Gugino of basically every Flanagan miniseries is also set to star, with Tudum describing her character as "a demonic shape-shifter named Verna, whose origins can be traced back to a — let's just say — very famous Poe character."
Speaking with the publication, Gugino discussed the otherworldly Verna, saying, "There is a fantastical supernatural element to the story, and she is the manifestation of that. You could say she's the executor of fate or the executor of karma." The first poster bears this ominous description out; she cuts a very dramatic figure in a sweeping cape and birdlike mask. Joining Greenwood and Gugino, we'll see other Flanagan favorites such as Henry Thomas, Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli, Carl Lumbly, Crystal Balint, Kyliegh Curran, Samantha Sloyan, Matt Biedel, Sauriyan Sapkota, Ruth Codd, and T'Nia Miller.
As for the newcomers, Mary McDonnell of "Dances With Wolves" and "Battlestar Galactica" will be playing the other half of the Usher equation, Madeline. Willa Fitzgerald of "Reacher," Paola Núñez of "Bad Boys for Life," and Daniel Jun of "American Gods" are also all set to appear in the miniseries. Of course, the biggest casting coup has to be the Jedi Master himself, Mark Hamill, and it'll be wild seeing Luke Skywalker and Elliott from "E.T." (the aforementioned Henry Thomas) in the same show.
Who is directing The Fall of the House of Usher?
Mike Flanagan typically takes the reins on his projects as a creative auteur, expressing his vision through both scripting and directing. He'll follow this trend with "The Fall of the House of Usher," as he created the show and directed four episodes. So who's helming the other four, you ask? Well, those duties go to Michael Fimognari. Flanagan's counterpart is also a previous collaborator of his, working as cinematographer on projects such as "The Haunting of Hill House," "Doctor Sleep," and "Ouija: Origin of Evil."
As he's directing four episodes, this marks Fimognari's first time overseeing a horror property, although he has called the shots in a very different genre. Working with Netflix, Fimognari previously directed the latter two entries of the "To All the Boys" franchise. Granted, those are a bit tonally different from "Usher," but after his petrifying pacing and delicate framing with "Doctor Sleep" and "Hill House," fans can rest assured in knowing the Usher house will crumble in a spectacular and haunting fashion.
Is there a trailer for The Fall of the House of Usher?
The official trailer for "The Fall of the House of Usher" promises death and destruction from the very first shot. It kicks off with a raven watching over nine new graves, and then we cut to a terrified Roderick Usher, bleeding and gasping again and again, "It's time."
Yes, it's time for otherworldly justice and supernatural consequences, as the demonic Verna descends upon the uber-rich Ushers. The trailer gives us some quick glimpses of the gore to come, but it's not like these folks don't deserve their fate. Carl Lumbly's lawyer describes them as the "Usher Crime Family," and we even witness them discussing how they plan on "neutralizing" their enemies. No wonder Verna tells Roderick that his family "is a collection of stunted horrors whose time has come."
As the demonic Verna lays ways to the Usher family, the trailer also displays a bit of biting humor, which is different from Mike Flanagan's usual offerings, as they're often more melancholic. You'll also notice several references to Edgar Allan Poe's other works, a la "The Masque of Red Death" and "The Pit and the Pendulum." As the reckoning for Roderick and his family gets closer, we can't wait for this bloody blast of a series.
What is Mike Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher rated?
Mike Flanagan's unflinching commitment to capturing the raw reality of horror leaves room for really only one television rating. Netflix has "The Fall of the House of Usher" rated TV-MA for "gore, language, nudity, sexual violence references, smoking, suicide, violence." Watching the trailer, it's easy to see why. The Ushers have a lot to pay for, and Verna plans on handing out some seriously messed-up retribution. In fact, based on the visuals we've seen, it appears that "Usher" might be gorier than your typical Flanagan series, so prepare to watch some Edgar Allan Poe-inspired deaths, along with the Ushers' penchant for all things monstrous and awful (like experimenting on animals and threatening others with physical force).
Where can you watch Mike Flanagan's other work?
Mike Flanagan has clarified with The Wrap that "The Fall of the House of Usher" is not another entry in his anthological "Haunting" franchise (encompassing "The Haunting of Hill House" and "The Haunting of Bly Manor"). His solid reasoning references a fantastical difference that perfectly explains the differentiation. "I can tell you the biggest reason. So for it to be a 'Haunting,' it says that it's about ghosts, right? And Poe wasn't really about ghosts. And 'The Fall of the House of Usher,' specifically, is not about ghosts. So the biggest thing is that there just isn't really a haunting."
Though it's not directly related to his other work, it would still be a worthwhile watch to enjoy his other blood-curdling narratives. You can enjoy an exciting abundance of his material on Netflix, including his exclusive "Haunting" series, along with "Midnight Mass" and "The Midnight Club" (unrelated despite their shared haunting hours). If you're brave enough, while you're on Netflix, you can dive further into his work with the truly unforgettable Stephen King adaptation "Gerald's Game," the nightmare crafting of "Before I Wake," and the nail-biting prequel "Ouija: Origin of Evil."