We’re getting even more ghosts than before and it’s being called “incredible”.
Aside from the scares, scenes and performances in The Haunting of Hill House, a large reason why Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of the beloved novel became such a hit is because it dealt with very real issues that can tear a family apart.
Issues such as depression, addiction, mental illness, grief, greed and secrecy are the real horrors that can destroy lives and on that note, it’s arguable that Oliver Jackson-Cohen’s take on the character of Luke was the most relatable.
As fans of the show will know, Luke battled a very serious heroin addiction while struggling to come to terms with the passing of his twin sister, Nell,
Soulful, heartbreaking and tragic, Jackson-Cohen imbued the character with so much humanity and frailty that it was impossible not to root for him. He was also haunted by the terrifying spectre of ‘the tall man in the bowler hat’, which led to some memorable moments of horror.
With news that Victoria Pedretti (Nell Crain) is set to return to the anthology series, The Haunting of Bly Manor is really gathering pace and it’s now been revealed that Oliver Jackson-Cohen has also been cast in the new show.
Regarding the new role, Oliver Jackson-Cohen took to Twitter to announce his return to the horror anthology and he provided a few details about his character.
In the show, he’ll be playing a man named Peter, a charming young man who lives at Bly.
We’re also told that Peter “makes life very difficult for everyone there” and that the new season is going to be “incredible”.
*cues adorable British accent* help us welcome @ojacksoncohen to The Haunting of Bly Manor!!! pic.twitter.com/aCysTCqOut
— Midnight Mass (@midnightmass) July 15, 2019
In The Haunting of Bly Manor, the story unfolds over Christmas Eve as a group of friends gather around to share ghost stories. One of the guests, a man named Douglas, begins to tell the tale of two children (Flora and Miles) and their governess.
The governess (Pedretti) is hired by a man to take care of his young niece and nephew after the death of their parents. However, both children are strangely distant and oddly silent.
The children also live in a forlorn estate and are frequently haunted by a mysterious evil. With growing horror, the helpless governess realises these fiendish ghouls want the children.
However, both children are drawn to the darkness for reasons unknown.
Given the fact that Mike Flanagan was so adept at balancing drama and terror in The Haunting of Hill House – more about that here and here – we’re supremely confident that he’s going to scare the crap out of us again.
In fact, one of Hill House’s greatest achievements was the spooky easter eggs, hidden ghosts, and subliminal scares that were scattered throughout each episode.
If you loved that part of the show, you’ll be very happy to know that The Haunting of Bly Manor will have even more ghosts and ghouls than its predecessor.
On Twitter, creator/writer Mike Flanagan said that he’s “already discussing how to up our hidden ghost game” in the new series.
2020 can’t come soon enough.
We are already discussing how to up our hidden ghost game. https://t.co/rW4AW0LpF2
— Mike Flanagan (@flanaganfilm) February 22, 2019
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