Everything we know about Mike Flanagan’s Fall of the House of Usher (so far)

The nuanced genius of Mike Flanagan is set to return in the form of yet another Netflix series, The Fall of the House of Usher. Inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe, who is best known for his tales of gothic mystery and macabre, such as The Telltale Heart, this eight-episode series will be the fifth Netflix series under Flanagan’s mantle. While this Flanagan offering is still far off into the future, hardcore horror fans will find themselves brimming with anticipation about this particular project.

Flanagan belted out a haunting tale about religious fanaticism, the nature of faith, and the meaning of true sacrifice via Midnight Mass, which captured a range of sentiments in intense, slow-burn fashion. Midnight Mass differed greatly in tone from The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor, as these two installments tackled a wide range of themes, namely those of loss, grief, and the ghosts of memories. While too many details are unknown about The Fall of the House of Usher, it will most likely tackle a range of Poe’s tales/poems, such as Cask of Amontillado and The Raven.

The Fall of the House of Usher – Principal Cast

Via his Twitter, Flanagan shared details about the diverse ensemble cast, revealing snippets of details about the primary characters. Frank Langella has been cast in the seminal role of Roderick Usher, the patriarch of the Usher dynasty, who, in Poe’s tale, suffers a lamentable fate.

Mary McDonnell is set to portray Roderick’s twin sister Madeline, while Carla Gugino, a staple in most Flanagan offerings (Gerald’s Game, The Haunting of Hill House), has been cast in an unknown role. Perhaps, the most interesting casting so far has been that of Mark Hamill, who will be assuming the role of “a character surprisingly at home in the shadows.”

Apart from the principal cast, The Fall of the House of Usher will also be featuring frequent Flanagan collaborators, such as the likes of Henry Thomas, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, T’Nia Miller, and Kate Seigel, who infused the character of Erin Greene with considerable heart in Midnight Mass. The series will also feature Zach Gilford, Katie Parker, and Michael Trucco, along with Sauriyan Sapkota, who fans will be able to see in Flanagan’s upcoming The Midnight Club.

The Fall of the House of Usher – Synopsis

As the limited series will be based on Poe’s wide range of work, The Fall of the House of Usher is expected to embrace the themes of identity, isolation, and the psychological ramifications of familial trauma.

The eponymous Poe tale follows the fate of Roderick Usher, who seems devastated by the afflictions of his twin sister, Madeline, who is not quite dead and haunts his psyche, along with the Usher house at large, in more ways than one. As Poe’s legendary investigator C. Auguste Dupin is also expected to be a part of the tale, the series is bound to take on a more investigative crime thriller route, with elements of noir and mystery.

The Fall of the House of Usher – Release Date

As of now, there is no official release date for the series so far, although filming is expected to begin sometime in January 2022.