‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ Trailer Boasts Love, Horror and Some Spooky Dolls

The official trailer for The Haunting of Bly Manor mixes human warmth and spooky chills to great effect in what looks to be a gorgeous revamp of Henry James’ classic 1898 horror novella The Turn of the Screw.

The show is the second installment of Mike Flanagan’s Netflix series, which began with 2018’s The Haunting of Hill House, a modern take on Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel. Season Two premieres October 9th.

As anyone who has read The Turn of the Screw knows, the story centers around a young governess charged with teaching two orphans in a grand manor as a duo of ghosts torment her — or she completely disassociates. The horror is in the unknown. Are spirits real — or is the woman simply going mad?

Mike Flanagan’s version brings the action to the Eighties, where Dani Clayton (Victoria Pedretti) is brought on to teach Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Flora (Amelie Smith) following the previous governess’ death. In the new trailer, out Wednesday, Dani is seen comforting the children in the wake of all that loss — hinting at sadness in her own past. These sweet moments are intercut with all manner of gothic horrors, from a mysterious woman rising from a lake, a doll coming to life and various characters seemingly losing touch with reality.

The cast also includes the estate’s chef Owen (Rahul Kohli), groundskeeper Jamie (Amelia Eve) and housekeeper, Mrs. Grose (T’Nia Miller).