Mike Flanagan continues to prove himself as one of the most talented filmmakers working in the horror genre today. From Oculus, to Hush, to Doctor Sleep, he has repeatedly crafted gems in the world of features, but in the last few years he has also done exceptional work in the realm of serialized storytelling on Netflix. The Haunting Of Hill House and The Haunting Of Bly Manor both proved to be incredibly popular scare fests on the streaming service, and because of this our anticipation for the upcoming Midnight Mass is extremely high. I would say that it has been at a maximum level, but this latest trailer proves that not to be true, as this preview will only make excitement for the miniseries rise further.
Midnight Mass is arriving on Netflix later this month, and while we got a brief look at it in August with the arrival of a debut teaser, this footage both gives us a much better sense of what to expect, and the chills. Set on an island in New England, there are some real Stephen King vibes (the island-set Dolores Claiborne comes to mind), but perhaps also with some splashes of King's Revival (which Mike Flanagan was going to adapt before the project fell apart late last year).
The new Netflix series centers on the story of a young man (Zach GIlford) who returns to his hometown on Crockett Island following a horrific and traumatic incident – and while his presence creates a ripple effect in the community, his arrival isn't the only event making waves. Also turning heads is the work of fresh faced priest Father Paul (Hamish Linklater), who is somehow managing to cause what appear to be miracles at the local church. A kind of religious fervor is generated as a result, though there is clearly a darkness lurking behind the magic.
Midnight Mass is packed with a supporting cast full of actors who have worked with Mike Flanagan in the past – including Kate Siegel (who is also his wife), Rahul Kohli, Alex Essoe, Annabeth Gish, Robert Longstreet, and Henry Thomas – and hopefully they will continue to be the filmmaker's lucky charms. The limited series will include a run of seven episodes that will all be available online starting September 24, which means that if you only watch one episode per week you'll be left with the final two episodes to watch during Halloween. Pulling that off would require some exceptional patience, however, and I'm not quite sure I possess it. Instead, I can more realistically see myself shifting my schedule around in the coming weeks to allow the full consumption of the experience in one go, and that is presently one of the pop culture events happening this fall that I am most excited for.
