Is Netflix bringing back ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ with the original cast?

Director Mike Flanagan isn’t new to Hollywood, but he’s most recently known for remaking popular novels on screen like Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game. He has also generated one of the most popular haunted house TV series since American Horror Story. 

Since 2018, Flanagan has generated two seasons with Netflix featuring the same actors but presenting an entirely different storyline each season. The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor have exceeded expectations and have become a beloved horror series.

With that said, fans will be excited to know that starting September 24th, 2021, a new season will be available on Netflix called Midnight Mass. It also looks like Netflix will be bringing back a few friendly faces recognizable from the first two seasons. 

To get ready for what’s to come, Netflix released a trailer for the third season that is chilling, intriguing, and looks to have a storyline you won’t want to miss out on if you’re a fan of Flanagan’s work. 

What will Midnight Mass be about?

Midnight Mass is set in a small, isolated community called Crockett Island where a disgraced man named Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford) has just returned home. Shortly after, a charismatic priest named Father Paul (Hamish Linklater) joins the community and mentions he’s “just there to help”. Yeah, sure you are, buddy. 

After Father Paul settles in, unexplained events begin to happen on the island and are seen as miracles. A new religious belief system is instilled in several community members, but here, miracles come at a price. 

If viewers have seen any of Mike Flanagan’s previous on-screen creations, they’ll know they’re in for a spooky treat. His work is often filled with mystery, apparitions, great acting, a little magic, and an overall storyline that will stick with them until the last scene. 

Midnight Mass cast

While newcomers like Zach Gilford, Hamish Linklater, and Crystal Balint will play significant roles of their own, director Mike Flanagan made sure to cast several other actors we’ve seen in the previous seasons. After watching the newly-released trailer, fans won’t have a hard time noticing who is back for more.

Kate Siegel, who was cast as Flanagan’s wife, had a leading role in The Haunting of Hill House and briefly appeared in The Haunting of Bly Manor. She’ll take on the part of Erin Greene. Other actors who’ve appeared in one or both seasons are Alex Essoe (Bly Manor), Annabeth Gish (Hill House), and Robert Longstreet (Hill House). 

One of the most recognized cast additions is Henry Thomas, most known for his lead role as a child in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and later as a young Hugh Crain in The Haunting of Hill House and Henry Wingrave in The Haunting of Bly Manor. He will play the role of Ed Flynn, who is assumed to be related to Riley Flynn. 

Mike Flanagan correlations

Mike Flanagan is known for taking on projects tied to beloved novels and making them bigger than life. He turned Stephen King’s 1992 novel, Gerald’s Game, into a masterpiece after it was deemed “unfilmable” for decades. 

Gerald’s Game stars Carla Gugino, who plays Gerald Burlingame’s (Bruce Greenwood) wife, Jessie. Gugino also appeared in The Haunting of Hill House as Olivia Crain. 

There was a little foreshadowing during the film, as Crockett Island and Midnight Mass were mentioned well before anyone knew of The Haunting of Hill House series. 

Flanagan didn’t stop at Gerald’s Game, though. He decided to take on another Stephen King creation called Doctor Sleep. The book is a 2013 sequel to one of the most well-known horror novels of all time called The Shining. The film premiered in 2019 and starred Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson. 

Doctor Sleep also features Henry Thomas as an apparition named The Bartender. Later in the film, he portrays the classic villain Jack Torrance in flashback scenes. 

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Are you looking forward to watching Midnight Mass on September 24th? Let us know in the comments below!