Over the weekend, the official account for Netflix’s upcoming The Haunting of Hill House series materialized. Releasing with it cryptic backwards messages and filtered photos of its main characters. Then on Monday morning, there came this post.
Don't you want to come home? The Haunting of Hill House is only on Netflix October 12. pic.twitter.com/xqeLg7Of0E
— The Haunting of Hill House (@haunting) August 27, 2018
While ostensibly a teaser, it’s not like anything we’ve seen in a bit. The creeping camera is patient and unsettling, causing the eye to key in on any movement or discoloration. While modern horror trailers (effectively) are jump scaring people out of their skin, this trailer tries a different tactic. It raises questions (like how was the “haunting” Twitter handle not taken already?) without giving away scares.
The Haunting of Hill House, like a lot of horror offerings these days, isn’t an original outing. Based on the novel of the same name by Shirley Jackson, it was adapted previously as 2 movies. One in 1963, by William Caslte and one in 1999 by Jan De Bont. Also serving as inspiration for many other properties, including several works from Stephen King.
Director of the 10 part series, Mike Flanagan, helmed the surprisingly effective Gerald’s Game on Netflix last year, and he has recently been hired to direct the adaptation of the sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep. Carla Gugino, the star of Gerald’s Game, can is even one of the leads in this series as well. Although it looks like this version will stray slightly from Jackson’s story, at least according to the official synopsis:
“The Haunting of Hill House explores a group of siblings who, as children, grew up in what would go on to become the most famous haunted house in the country. Now adults, and forced back together in the face of tragedy, the family must finally confront the ghosts of their past — some of which still lurk in their minds while others may actually be stalking the shadows of Hill House.”
At the very least, the show could provide some insight into how high fans’ expectations should be going into Doctor Sleep. If Flanagan establishes a show with equal quality to Gerald’s Game, The Haunting of Hill House could become another hidden gem in Netflix’s crown.
.A few photos also popped up today, teasing that the show will get bloody. Which is interesting given the involvement of Amblin Entertainment. Have a look at Henry Thomas, Timothy Hutton and Gugino below. Also make sure to make a mental note of October 1oth, when Netflix becomes available. Something tells us Netflix won’t quite let you forget about this one.
