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The Fall of the House of Usher is most likely the last Netflix series from Mike Flanagan, creator of series The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass. With just a month to go until it premieres, Netflix has offered up the first trailer for the eight-episode series.
Here’s Netflix’s synopsis for the upcoming series: “In this wicked series based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, 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.”
The Fall of the House of Usher, published by Edgar Allen Poe in 1839, follows Roderick Usher, from the point of view of a visiting friend, as paranoia over past deeds chips away at his sanity. The trailer shows not just the Usher family from that story, but also elements from other Poe stories–Fortunato Pharmaceutical is a reference to Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado,” in which someone is left to die in a bricked-off prison. The raven, and the character chanting “nevermore” are both references to Poe’s most famous poem, “The Raven.” Even the party shown in the trailer could be a reference to the Masque of the Red Death. The Fall of the House of Usher is a relatively short story at 6,500 words, so it seems like maybe the series could act as sort of anthology of Poe stories and poems.
The series will feature four episodes directed by Flanagan himself, and four directed by Mike Fimognari, with whom Flanagan has worked for years both on and off Netflix on movies and shows. The show has a massive cast, too, featuring lots of Flanagan’s regular players like Bruce Greenwood, Carla Gugino, Rahul Kohli, Zach Gilford, Kate Siegel, Annabeth Gish, Henry Thomas, Michael Trucco, T’Nia Miller, Samantha Sloyan, Katie Parker, and others. The show also stars Mark Hamill, Carl Lumbly, Mary McDonnell, and more.
The Fall of the House of Usher premieres on Netflix on October 12.
