Four months after The Haunting of Hill House debuted on Netflix, becoming a breakout hit, the Internet network has renewed the horror series from Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy with a twist. The drama will become an anthology, with the second installment chronicling a new story with all new characters. Its title was revealed to be The Haunting of Bly Manor.
The Haunting creator, executive producer and director Flanagan and executive producer Macy will shepherd the second season under a multi-year overall television deal they have signed with Netflix. Filmmaker Flanagan has joined producer Macy’s Intrepid Pictures as partner. Under the duo’s Netflix deal, they will develop and produce new series exclusively for streamer, including an all-new chapter in The Haunting anthology, which, like The Haunting Of Hill House, is based on a known horror little (Henry James’ psychological gothic horror novella The Turn of the Screw) and will likely feature some Season 1 cast members. It will debut in 2020.
The partner stripes for Flanagan formalize his seven-year relationship with Macy. who sought out Flanagan after the release of his crowdfunded 2011 feature Absentia. At the end of their meeting, Flanagan mentioned a six-year old horror short he had done, Oculus, which had flown under the radar. Macy liked it, and a feature version written and directed by Flanagan and produced by Macy became the pair’s first collaboration.
It was followed by five movies, including Gerald’s Game, Hush and Before I Wake, which have streamed on Netflix, and one series, The Haunting of Hill House, all produced through Intrepid. The Haunting, a modern reimagining of Shirley Jackson’s iconic novel, was produced with Paramount Television and Amblin Television who will return as producers on The Haunting of Bly Manor.
“Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy are masterful at creating authentically frightening stories that leave audiences on the edge of their seats, but unable to look away,” said Cindy Holland, VP, Original Content at Netflix. “We’re excited to continue our partnership with them on The Haunting series and future projects to come.”
Flanagan and Macy’s focus is expected to remain on horror, thriller, supernatural thriller and sci-fi though they are said to also be open to other genres in their TV development for Netflix.
“Netflix has been an important part of our story, and we’re proud to have worked with them on The Haunting of Hill House, not to mention Gerald’s Game, Hush, and Before I Wake,” said Flanagan and Macy. “They’ve enabled and supported a great deal of our work and we look forward to much more.”
In features, which are separate from this deal, Flanagan and Macy are in post-production on Doctor Sleep, the feature adaptation of Stephen King’s 2013 follow-up to his seminal novel The Shining, starring Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson, at Warner Bros. Pictures, for a November 8 release. Flanagan directed and penned the adaptation, while Macy produced with Jon Berg. Intrepid is also in post-production on Eli, directed by Ciaran Foy and produced by Macy, which will be released on Netflix globally later this year.
The Haunting of Hill House has garnered award nominations from the Motion Picture Sound Editors, WGA, and Art Directors Guild. In addition to Flanagan and Macy, the installment was executive produced by Meredith Averill and Amblin Television’s Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey.
