Is that a terrific or horrific time we’re alluding to in the headline? Why not both? Netflix’s latest (and final) limited series from creator Mike Flanagan promises yet another exquisite turn that lands somewhere between art-piece and terror. We’ll honestly be sorry to see this collaboration go. But it certainly looks like The Fall of the House of Usher will leave us with a bang. The Fall of the House of Usher trailer starts off strong and then only gets wilder. Check out character descriptions and our first good look at Mike Flanagan’s Poe-inspired series below.
The Fall of the House of Usher‘s Trailer
Speaking to The Wrap, Mike Flanagan said of The Fall of the House of Usher, “It’s crazy. It is unlike anything I’ve ever done, but in the other direction… My favorite way to describe it to people is like ‘Hill House’ is kind of a string quartet, and ‘Bly Manor’ is this delicate, kind of beautiful piece of classical piano music, and ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ is heavy metal. It’s rock ‘n’ roll.”
And this The Fall of the House of Usher trailer shows us exactly why. It feels like every string is being pulled hard, and in the end, the guitar is getting smashed. The amount of blood, gore, and fear we see in the trailer alone is certainly indicative of what’s to come.
Of course, we’re also happy to see some of Flanagan’s frequent collaborators in this The Fall of the House of Usher trailer. We can’t wait to see them crush this series.
The Fall of the House of Usher Official Clip
Netflix also released a new clip from the series. Entitled “Meet the Ushers,” this scene around the family’s massive banquet table introduces the entire cast. It was probably a nightmare to shoot. The family’s lawyer, Arthur Pym (Mark Hamill), whom they call “The Pym Reaper,” hands out contracts for everyone to sign. If any of the signees later reveal themselves to be snitches, they’ll get more than stitches. Not just out of the will, as Madeline (Mary McDonnell) explains, they’re dead.
The Fall of the House of Usher‘s Synopsis
The trailer’s description offers us a synopsis that shares more about The Fall of the House of Usher. It notes:
In this wicked series from Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) and based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege and power. But past secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman from their youth.
Fortunato, you say. Well, that’s surely a reference to Poe’s short story “The Cask of Amontillado,” if there ever was one. And, we feel there will be many more Poe Easter eggs for us to uncover. Of course, we hear the famous refrain “Nevermore” echo through The Fall of the House of Usher‘s trailer and even see a raven.
The Fall of the House of Usher Character Descriptions
But who are all The Fall of the House of Usher characters that we get to meet in the above trailer? Well, Entertainment Weekly, via ComingSoon.Net revealed more information about the various Ushers, friends, and foes we’ll meet in the series. You can catch a few more Poe-Easter eggs in these Flanagan creations if you look carefully enough. Beware, do give quite a bit of information about each person.
Here are The Fall of the House of Usher‘s main characters:
Bruce Greenwood’s Roderick Usher is the family patriarch and CEO of Fortunato Pharmaceuticals. He is described as an ambitious and driven man, who has high expectations of his six children. While he gives them access to every resource imaginable, fatherly affection isn’t necessarily one of them.
Mary McDonnell’s Madeline Usher serves as the brains behind the operation at Fortunato. If he falters, she picks up the slack. But a downside to all that drive and ambition is the fact that she would step over her brother if she had to, regardless of the love she has for him.
Carla Gugino’s Verna is a shape-shifting demon, who made a deal with twins Roderick and Madeline when they were younger. Decades later, she returns at the height of Fortunato’s power to massacre the heirs to the Usher fortune.
Henry Thomas’ Frederick Usher is the eldest son of Roderick. Despite being the natural heir to the company, he’s described as the least capable person to take over the business out of all his siblings.
Samatha Sloyan’s Tamerlane Usher is one of Roderick’s children, who starts a health and wellness company of her own in an attempt to step out of her father’s shadow.
T’Nia Miller’s Victorine Lafourcade is Roderick’s daughter out of wedlock. She’ll do everything she can in order to gain her father’s most coveted approval and affection, even at the expense of her life’s mission to help people.
Sauriyan Sapkota’s Perry Usher is the youngest of the Usher children. Rather than inventing new medical tools or running the family empire, he wants to make life one big party.
Kyliegh Curran’s Lenore Usher is the daughter of Frederick, who’s described as a kind and empathic young woman.
Rahul Kohli’s Leo Usher is a video game patron and a socialite playboy with an intense drug habit.
Kate Siegel’s Camille L’Espanaye is described as extremely cunning and biting. She handles the PR for the Usher family, which has made her an expert at turning bad behavior into good press.
Katie Parker’s Annabel Lee is Roderick’s first wife and the mother of Frederick and Tamerlane. With a warm and trusting nature, she always sought to find the best in Roderick, but that might have left her blind to the dangers encroaching on her family.
Carl Lumbly’s C. Auguste Dupin is a brilliant attorney, who’s determined to take down the Usher family.
Mark Hamill’s Arthur Pym serves as at Usher family’s enigmatic lawyer, who remains an unfailingly loyal employee and enforcer for the Ushers.
The Fall of the House of Usher‘s Release Date
In “The Raven,” Poe remarks, “Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December.” But we guess October is close enough. And it is the best month for this kind of spooky limited-series to premiere. The Fall of the House of Usher will release on Netflix on October 12. It will be eight episodes long.
Originally published on September 12, 2023.