The Haunting of Bly Manor’s Spooky New Trailer Isn’t Going to Help Your Fear of Ghosts

Netflix released the official trailer for The Haunting of Bly Manor and Hill House star Victoria Pedretti is back to face the unknown.

By Jonathan Borge Sep 23, 2020 3:30 PMTags
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If you asked us to move to the English countryside to look after two intensely creepy children inside a massive home crawling with angry spirits, we'd… laugh and move on with the day. But Dani Clayton, the character at the center of The Haunting of Bly Manor, can't just smile and shrug off her reality.

Netflix released the official trailer for Bly Manor on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and let's just say it's probably a good idea to sleep with the lights on after watching.

Following her run as Nell Crain in 2018's The Haunting at Hill House, You alum Victoria Pedretti steps into the role of Dani, a newly-hired governess responsible for taking care of two orphaned children (Amelie Bea Smith and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) following the death of their au pair (Henry Thomas).

Set in the 1980s, the second installment in Mike Flanagan's anthology series is based on The Turn of the Screw, the 1989 novella by Henry James in which, yes, a newly-arrived governess quickly begins to uncover dark secrets at Bly Manor.

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2021 TV Premiere Dates

So what can we expect? While the first few seconds of the trailer seem sweet—Dani's focus is cherishing the children with love—the plot takes a scary turn as she experiences haunting interactions from one room to the next. In an eerie voiceover, the manor's chef (Rahul Kohli) creepily warns, "The people here, they're born here, they die here," hinting at the many ghosts around.

In addition to Pedretti and Thomas, the cast also includes Hill House alum Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Katie Siegel and Catherine Parker along with Tahirah Sharif, Amelia Eve, and T'Nia Miller.

Though there are repeat actors, the storylines are entirely separate for round two of the anthology. The Haunting at Hill House was based on Shirley Jackson's 1959 novel of the same name.

Scroll on for everything we know so far about the series. Be warned: This one is definitely going to scare you.

From Hill House to Bly Manor

We may have had to say goodbye to the Crain family at the end of season one of The Haunting of Hill House, but the show itself continues on with The Haunting of Bly Manor, a new adaptation of another famous ghost story previously adapted into multiple movies and even episodes of other TV shows, like Star Trek: Voyager. The newest film version of the story, titled The Turning, will be released in January 2020. 

The Turn of the Screw

Bly Manor comes from the 1898 Henry James novella The Turn of the Screw, which is about a governess who, while taking care of two children at Bly Manor, becomes convinced that the place is haunted. The children, Miles and Flora, who creator Mike Flanagan describes as "critical" characters, will be played by newcomers Benjamin Ainsworth and Amelie Smith

Flanagan has slowly been releasing more and more information about the cast and what to expect this season, so see below for the ever-growing cast! 

The Story

Here's Netflix's official description: "After an au pair's tragic death, Henry Wingrave (Henry Thomas) hires a young American nanny (Victoria Pedretti) to care for his orphaned niece and nephew (Amelie Bea Smith, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) who reside at Bly Manor with the estate's chef Owen (Rahul Kohli), groundskeeper Jamie (Amelia Eve) and housekeeper, Mrs. Grose (T'Nia Miller). But all is not as it seems at the manor, and centuries of dark secrets of love and loss are waiting to be unearthed in this chilling gothic romance. At Bly Manor, dead doesn't mean gone.

Victoria Pedretti

Victoria Pedretti, also the star of season two of You, will return to the series as Dani, "a governess who takes care of two very unusual children." In Hill House, she played Nell Crain. 

Oliver Jackson-Cohen

Jackson-Cohen returns to the series to play a guy called Peter Quint, who he describes as "a sort of charming young man who lives at Bly. He makes life very difficult for everyone there." He previously played Luke Crain, twin brother of Nell Crain. 

Henry Thomas

Henry Thomas, who played the father of the Crain family in season one, will be back for Bly Manor as Henry Wingrave, owner of the estate. 

Kate Siegel

Kate Siegel, who played Theo Crain in season one, returns to play...a mystery. "The Haunting wouldn't be The Haunting without fan favorite Katie Siegel... and I'm elated to confirm that she'll be joining us at Bly Manor," Flanagan tweeted. Her role is still unknown. 

Catherine Parker

Catherine Parker played ghost Poppy Hill in Hill House, and she's back for season two. "Almost a decade ago, I first worked with Catherine Parker on a tiny movie called Absentia. Last season, she was unforgettable as Poppy Hill... today, I'm thrilled to announce that she's joining us at Bly Manor," Flanagan wrote. Her role is also still unknown. 

T'nia Miller

Bly Manor will be welcoming Years and Years star T'nia Miller as Hannah Grose, the housekeeper. 

Rahul Kohli

iZombie and Supergirl star Rahul Kohli, who Flanagan deems "remarkably charming" will be playing Owen. According to Deadline, he will reportedly be playing "a small town guy with a worldly mindset, who has returned to the country to take care of his ailing mother." He works as the chef. 

Amelia Eve

Amelia Eve will be playing Jamie, the groundskeeper. 

Tahirah Sharif

Tahirah Sharif plays Rebecca Jessel, the children's former governess. 

Amelie Bea Smith

Amelie Bea Smith, 9, plays Flora Wingrave, one of the children Dani is sent to look after at Bly Manor. 

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, 11, plays Miles, Flora's brother. 

The Haunting of Bly Manor premieres on Oct. 9.