Thanks to projects like The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, filmmaker Mike Flanagan has established himself as one of the most compelling genre storytellers today, with his latest project seeing him adapting Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher. In honor of the series heading into production shortly, Flanagan released the first wave of performers he’s recruited for the experience, which includes Frank Langella, Carla Gugino, Carl Lumbly, Mary McDonnell, and Mark Hamill. The filmmaker also teased more names being revealed later this week, which is expected to once again feature both newcomers and former collaborators.
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Flanagan began unveiling the casting decisions on Twitter, with his tweets also including brief descriptions of some of the characters. Langella plays Roderick Usher, “the towering patriarch of the Usher dynasty,” McDonnell plays “Roderick’s sister and the hidden hand of the Usher dynasty,” and Lumbly plays “Poe’s legendary investigator C. Auguste Dupin.” The filmmaker did not clarify who Gugino will be playing, while Flanagan noted that Hamill will be “playing a character surprisingly at home in the shadows.”
GoodReads details that The Fall of the House of Usher “recounts the terrible events that befall the last remaining members of the once-illustrious Usher clan before it is — quite literally — rent asunder. With amazing economy, Poe plunges the reader into a state of deliciously agonizing suspense. It’s a must-read for fans of the golden era of horror writing.”
“This miniseries is a modern remix of some of the most iconic works of Edgar Allan Poe. To tell this epic tale of greed, horror, and tragedy, we have assembled the largest ensemble cast in the history of Intrepid Pictures,” Flanagan teased of the project. “We have MANY more names to share, and will unveil the next wave tomorrow, right here at 10 a.m. PST. Some familiar faces, some new ones, all incredible performers coming together to bring the world of Poe to life as it’s never been seen before. Cannot wait to tell you more!”
The upcoming miniseries is set to consist of eight episodes. There are currently no confirmed plans for either Flanagan’s The Haunting series or Midnight Mass to earn more seasons.
Stay tuned for details on the upcoming adaptation of The Fall of the House of Usher.
Are you looking forward to the new series? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!
